Edited by Jhalak
Sisters are our best friends since our childhood and even if we have experienced sibling rivalry in our adolescence, they turn out to be out best friends when we grow up.
Whether we are a man, or a woman, this is one special relationship which goes beyond ‘’Rakhi’’ and ‘’Bhaidooj.’’
If our sisters are younger to us, then they will ask us to get loads of gifts for them when we get our first job, promotion etc. And if they are elder to us, then they will always bless us with gifts and would not expect anything in return.
However, there is a saying which I had read on a diamond jewelry advertisement hoarding, ‘’This Rakhi gift your sister a diamond, because unlike girlfriends, they will never become an ex.’’ It is so very true.
Our sisters help us during our school and college days to complete our home works and school projects, play the role of cupid when we fall in love, become career counselors when we are indecisive, sometimes become mothers when there is a need to be one.
So let’s salute the spirit of sisterhood and during this festive season let’s celebrate that special bond.
This article targets sisters of every age group and we have tried to include various items which might be liked by them. Please go through the user’s guide to have a better idea about the same.
Other related articles: Top 10 Best Gifts for Your Mother, Top 20 Best Gifts for Your Girlfriend
We Highly recommend you to read the Gift for Your Sister Buying Guide at the end of this article to get in-depth knowledge about latest gifts for your sister and tips on making an informed decision about which product to buy for your needs 🙂
Top 10 Best Gifts for Your Sister
Although my favorite among all is Wristwatches but you must check all of them to make your buying decision.
1. Wristwatches
Young women and working women love watches.
So after your sister has stepped into adolescence, gift her a watch and teach her the importance of time management and prioritizing in life.
That will take her a long way in life. Don’t give her a very expensive watch if she is young. Here is a comprehensive list of watches for all the budgets.
2. Gadgets
In today’s technology driven world, gadgets have become a necessity, not a luxury.
If your sister goes for dance classes, tuitions or any other kind of classes, then it is must for her to own a phone so that she can contact the family in case there is an emergency.
So give her a phone, but ensure that it should not have too many features.
Smartphones should be kept away from children and young adults as they get addicted to the games very fast which impacts their health, studies and co-curricular activities.
3. Cosmetics and/or Make Up
This is a very favorite thing for any teenaged girl or young adult.
Though your mom might stop her from wearing much make-up, but we all know that women and make-up are inseparable.
You might have grown up seeing your younger sister wearing lipstick and roaming all around the house when mom was not watching.
4. Clothing
Every young girl will be fond of different kinds of dresses, and your sister will not be an exception. Buy her Cinderella kind of frocks and she will look like a princess.
If she is growing up, then buy her ghaghra cholis and salwar kameezes so that she can enjoy the fun of growing up.
And if she is a working professional, then buy her some formal clothes and she would love them. Here are a few suggestions.
5. Books
Once a bookworm, always a bookworm. Convert your sister into one and share the joys of reading and transcending into another world.
Here are some of the books which will be loved by girls in different age group.
6. Household Appliances
If you are buying gifts for a grown up sister who might have gone to another city or town to complete her higher education, or to start her career, then this will be a great idea to gift her household appliances.
If your sister is married and owns almost everything in her kitchen, still she would crave for some new appliance or the other. Here are some popular options for you.
7. Furniture and Home Decor Items
Again if your sister is setting up her own abode for the first time, be it during her college days or initial career days, buying home décor items for her will be a great idea.
She would appreciate nice items even if she has a full-fledged house with all kinds of furniture and electronic gadgets.
8. Sports-Related Items
It is always a great idea to motivate your sister to play games right from her childhood. She will grow into a young adult who appreciates sports and fitness.
You may choose to pay for her swimming classes, tennis classes or any sport she has interest in.
9. Jewelry
Women love jewelry the most. So you may choose to gift some precious metal and diamond jewelry which she will use in future when she gets married.
Or even if she chooses to remain single, she can wear them on different occasions. You may even buy some fashion jewelry which she would love to wear.
10. Handbags, Clutches, Trolleys and Luggage
Women love to match their handbags with their clothes and your sister will not be an exception. Here are some of the options.
Buyer's Guide: How to Purchase Gifts for Your Sister
Types of Gifts - Occasion Based
Types of Gifts - Other Criteria
Age based
What kind of gift you will give to your sister depends on the age of your sister. If she is up to the age of 12, and has not stepped into her teens, she might like to have a doll, a battery operated toy, a kitchen set, different types of board games etc.
Another thing which I did for my sister when I started working was to open a recurring deposit account for her. Since the age gap between both of us was 8 years, I had already started working when she was in school.
My dad and mom of course gave me a good education and had saved for her education too, I wanted to do my bit to contribute to her education and maybe later for her marriage. Every month I used to deposit Rs. 1000 to that RD account and then later when my income increased, I increased the amount.
Over the years, the amount multiplied and it reached to a good amount when she stepped into college and went abroad for her higher education. If your sister is a teenager, then maybe she will crave for some make up items, trendy clothes and shoes, bags, wrist watches, gadgets etc.
I never splurged on them because our deep rooted value system taught us to be prudent with money and never waste money on depreciating assets and things which will not add any concrete value other than creating some opportunities for recreation. Here are some of the ideal gift items for teenaged girls-
Budget Based
Though we do not worry much about the budget when we are trying to give gifts to our close family members, and our sisters being our close confidants, we do not do it at all. However, it is still advised to keep a budget in mind when we set out to choose a gift for our sisters.
It is always good to save that extra money which she can use for her education when she grows up. Small amounts which are accumulated over a long period of time create a good corpus.
If your sister is young, then you may buy clothes, shoes, toys, doll sets, kitchen sets within Rs. 1000. It is better not to spend a lot of money in these items as children grow very fast and these items become irrelevant very soon. Another great gift you can gift your young sister is the gift of books.
Ignite the passion of reading since her childhood. I am thankful to my mother for inculcating that habit in both the children of the family.
You may buy paint brushes, colors, board games, knitting needles, stitching sets etc. for her and she would pick up these hobbies at a young age. My mother ensured that we learn to knit, stitch, do crochet work, cross stitch work etc. at a young age. Today both of us do not have to struggle to look for a tailor for small alterations and needle work.
Another great gift for your young sister will be taking up a Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) policy.
This account can be opened any time after the girl child is born up to her age of ten. Under the ‘’Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’' campaign, the government of India provides income-tax benefit under section 80 C of the IT act. One of my friends had taken this policy for his cousin sister and he motivates everyone to do it.
Anyone can open this account with a meagre amount of Rs. 250 and keep on depositing a minimum sum of Rs. 250 and maximum of Rs. Rs 1.5 lakh in the entire financial year.
Taste Based
Along with age and budget, something which we should always remember is the taste of our sister. If she is tomboyish, and you buy jewelry set and doll set, then she will not be happy. She might be wishing to get some sports equipments, bicycle, swimming gear etc.
If she does not read books, then you may start with some basic ones to inculcate that habit in her. Or the best thing would be to make her sit next to you and read it out to her.
The most important thing is to allow your sister to pursue her dreams. So, do not try to transform a butterfly into a peacock because then she will lose her individuality. Nurture her natural talent and if your parents are trying to put pressure on her, then please stand by your sister.
Siblings are the strongest support system during the years of adolescence. And then you may choose to give gifts like musical instruments, gadgets, clothes and all the items mentioned above based on their taste and hobbies.
Here is the List of Top 10 Best Gifts for Your Sister
My Thoughts and Recommendation
My parents opted to have two children and I was the elder daughter in the household. My parents have always taught me to be prudent with money and not splurge on unnecessary things. We never had loads of clothes or shoes.
Since most of the time we were in school, wearing school uniforms, they only used to buy clothes for us during Durga puja and Diwali.
One thing which my parents never stopped us from buying were books. All types of story books, auto-biographies, science related books, general knowledge books were my best friends and then when I grew up, I gave the same books to my sister to read. She bought her own collection and we learnt to share.
My mom was into music and she taught both of us classical music since our childhood. Dad taught us to play chess. With my neighborhood friends we played badminton, skipping rope etc. We also learnt to swim and that became our favorite sport. We learnt to ride bicycles as kids and that too was a great experience.
The most important gift my parents gave was the gift of education. They also taught us to have our own minds and live independent lives. We learnt to enjoy life when we started working, but never spent a lot of money in buying clothes and watches.
Once in a while we used to splurge a bit on any special thing which we wanted to buy, and we bought luxury items when we went abroad for our work related assignments. They gave another great gift, and that was the gift of travel. As a family we used to take one vacation in a year.
We also used to go to our home town during summer vacations with mom as dad was in a transferable job and we grew up in different parts of India.
So my primary thought would be to give such gifts to your sister which adds value to her life. It helps her to become an educated and independent woman. Allow her to express her thoughts and have an opinion about matters which she feels strongly about. Allow her to become a complete individual.
Money can buy expensive gifts which your sister would love. However, if you give her the freedom to choose her career and pursue it passionately, then she will grow up and buy more expensive gifts for you when she gets her first job. Happy gifting!!!
