8 Birthday Gifts for Someone Special

When a birthday is quickly approaching for someone special in your life, the pressure to give the perfect gift can be fierce. Maybe it’s for your partner who always gives you a thoughtful gift or your best friend who is there for you no matter what. 

Instead of scrolling through Amazon or looking up the best-selling birthday gifts for best friends on Etsy, check out this list of the eight best gift ideas for that someone special. 

The 8 Best Gift Ideas for Their Birthday

1. A High-Quality Candle

If you want to give your best friend or partner something luxurious and useful this year, check-out high-quality candles. An amazing-smelling candle instantly enhances the vibe in any room, and it’s a gift you can easily personalize. 

For example, if your best friend always complains that they’re not at the beach, you can get them the Birds And The Breeze candle. This candle is light and airy, combining mimosa petals, galbanum, jasmine, cyclamen, orchid, musk, and cedarwood. It can make any casual apartment hang-out feel like a trip to the Hamptons. 

Meanwhile, get your partner the Instant Karma candle if you want to give them a dark and dreamy scent. Cardamom, cinnamon, and vetiver work together in this candle to give your bedroom a spicy, warm, and sensual feeling for those nights when all you want is a cozy night in. 

2. A Scent That Fits Their Personality

Another great birthday gift for someone special is a scent that fits their personality. Everyone should have a signature scent, but sometimes buying a fragrance for yourself can leave you overwhelmed with possibilities. 

That’s why gifting your partner or best friend a fragrance is a thoughtful gift and a keepsake that will remind them of you with every whiff. It’s much more meaningful than a trendy gadget, and it makes a great gift for any occasion. 

Matching a scent to your friend’s personality will score you extra points for really “getting them.” For example, if your friend is the quieter outdoorsy type, Way With Woods is a perfect, subtle scent that’s inviting, light, and woodsy all at once. With white tea, mandarin, sandalwood, amber woods, vetiver, and musk, this is a must-have fragrance for someone who needs their scent to go from work to play without missing a beat. 

If you think your best friend would be more interested in a statement scent that will turn heads as soon as they walk into the room, Burning Bridges might be the fragrance for them. A combination of vanilla, tobacco, iris, rose, fresh spices, freesia, and oakmoss make this a toasted, smoky scent with a flair for the dramatic. 

Or you can help your partner channel retro summer vibes with Strawberry Moon. This scent uses jasmine, bright citrus, and leather to conjure up the feeling of a Miami swim club on a hot summer day. It also makes a terrific addition to a holiday gift box, as it invokes memories of warmer weather, making it ideal for someone dealing with brutal New York winter.

3. A Cozy Throw Blanket

If your someone special is known for having the coziest home, then a throw blanket might be the perfect birthday gift. A throw blanket is ideal for your friend or partner who loves to cuddle up and watch a movie (while their favorite candle burns, of course). Throw blankets come in every color and pattern, so you can find one that will match perfectly with your loved one’s aesthetic. 

4. Merch for Their Favorite Musician 

If your partner or friend loves a specific musician, lean into their obsession and purchase something that will remind them of that artist. The Pacifico fragrance is perfect for any Surfaces fan and is sure to make them smile. This fragrance is inspired by the band’s time in Malibu and features rosemary, sage, salted jasmine, water lily, plum, California oak, and manzanita. 

Pacifico is ideal for a friend or partner who always seems to be able to access that laid-back, relaxed summer feeling—and deserves to smell like it, too. 

5. A Scent That Fits Their Birth Month

If you're having trouble finding the perfect scent for your someone special, you can try choosing a scent that fits their birth month or zodiac sign. 

If they’re lucky enough to have a summer birthday, you can give them one of Snif’s hottest summer scents, like Sweet Ash, Strawberry Moon, Way With Woods, Ex on the Beach, or Show Pony. 

6. A Date Night

You can go the extra mile to give your person a gift and experience all in one with a curated date night. Turn your home into a luxe spa by breaking out the wine glasses, candles, and bath bombs. You can also treat them to takeout from their favorite restaurant and splurge on ingredients to shake up their favorite cocktail in a classy stainless steeltumbler.

Top the night off with a screening of their favorite movie or listening to their favorite record from start to finish. Remember that the best birthday gifts are sometimes experiences, so don’t be afraid to go all out and give them the personalized gift of an evening full of all their favorite things. 

7. A Piece of Homemade Home Decor

To impress your loved one with a unique gift, you can make them a piece of homemade home decor. Nothing says, “I put a lot of time into this,” more than a DIY gift. For example, if they have a bunch of beautiful fragrances but nowhere to display them, you can make and install a set of hanging shelves. And if you have a knack for art, you can make them something for their wall that will remind them of one of your favorite memories together. 

Maybe they love jewelry with their birthstone, but their necklaces are always tangled and tucked away in the junk drawer. If so, look up all the different ways you can DIY jewelry holders or jewelry boxes. 

Regardless of what you choose to make, a homemade piece of home decor is a thoughtful birthday gift that will always be loved. 

8. A Self-Care Gift Basket

If your best friend or partner is someone who deserves a day off but never has time to think about their own wellness, put together a self-care gift basket for them. 

For the people who love any chance to unwind at home, grab a cashmere sweater, leggings, or a weighted blanket with their favorite candle. If your partner is all about their skincare, you can put a new moisturizer or lip balm into the basket, too. 

When you’re making a self-care gift basket, remember that wellness looks different for everyone. You might be able to help your best friend take care of themself by gifting them a new water bottle for the gym, while your partner might prefer a gift card to their favorite taco spot. 

Thinking about the person who you’re making the basket for and what helps them unwind is the best way to ensure your basket hits the mark.

Give Your Partner (or Best Friend) the Best Birthday Ever

Although birthday gift ideas can be hard, we hope this gift guide brought you that “aha” moment for the perfect gift to say “Happy Birthday” to that someone special in your life. 

Whether you end up going for a candle gift set or a tote bag full of self-care items, know that just by reading this article, you’re already putting thought into the gift, and your best friend or partner will love whatever you get them. And, if you’re still stuck, you can opt for a Snif gift card—the gift of choosing that fragrance or candle they’ve been waiting to hit “add to cart” on. 

Sources:

Why Do Smells Trigger Memories? | Scientific American

​​Re-discovering Sandalwood: Beyond Beauty and Fragrance | NIH 

Self-care: 4 ways to nourish body and soul | Harvard Health