Gift ideas

On most anniversary lists, paper is the traditional gift for a first wedding anniversary. Some British lists give cotton for the first year and paper for the second. The idea behind paper is simple: a new marriage is like a clean sheet, with the story still to be written.

A good anniversary gift for your wife or girlfriend shows that you remember. It ties back to a date, a place or a habit that belongs to the two of you.

Many men say they do not want anything for an anniversary. A good gift still lands when it is tied to your story or to something he already loves.

A personalised gift for a couple uses something that belongs to them both: their names, a date, a place or a voice. It works for an engagement, a wedding, a housewarming or an anniversary.

A Christmas gift for a girlfriend or boyfriend has two jobs. It should feel personal, and it should fit where the relationship is now.

Cut flowers last a week. If you want a Valentine's Day gift that lasts longer, or your partner does not care for flowers, there are better choices.

Most new baby gifts are outgrown in weeks. A keepsake is the gift a child still has at eighteen, and that the parents look at long before then.

A sympathy gift tells a grieving person that you remember the one they lost, and that you remember them. It does not need to be large. It needs to be kind and well timed.

A good gift for someone who loves the night sky helps them see more of it, understand more of it, or keep a part of it. The right choice depends on how far they already are.

A gift for a long-distance partner has a special job. It should make the distance feel smaller between visits, and it should still mean something when you live together.

The wedding list, called a gift registry in Australia and New Zealand, tells you what a couple needs. A gift beyond it can tell them what you know about them. Many guests give one of each: something from the list and something personal.

A first Mother's Day often comes weeks or months after a birth. A new mum is short on sleep, short on time and full of feelings about it. A good gift gives her rest, or keeps the moment she became a mum.

The best gift for your wife shows that you notice her everyday life: a day planned around her, a better version of something she uses every day, or a keepsake of a night you both remember. These ideas work for a birthday, Christmas, Mother's Day or no reason at all.

The best gift for your husband is tied to something he already does or loves: a better tool for his hobby, tickets to his team or band, or a free day to do the thing he never makes time for. These ideas work for a birthday, Christmas, Father's Day or no reason at all.

A good unusual gift is something the person has not seen before but will still use or keep after the surprise: a mushroom growing kit, a star map of the real sky on the night they were born, or a one-day class in a rare craft such as glassblowing.

The best gift for someone who has everything is one they cannot buy for themselves: time with you, a better version of something they use up, or a record of a moment that belongs to them, such as a star map of a night that matters.

A sentimental gift works when it holds a memory only you share with the person: a date, a place, a voice or handwriting. Good examples are a star map of the night you met, a jar of written memories from friends, or a family recipe printed in the original handwriting.

The most romantic gifts that are not jewellery give you time together or keep a memory you share: a weekend away, a book with your notes in the margins, or a star map of the night you met.

The best gifts for grandparents connect them with their family: a photo calendar of the grandchildren, a planned visit, or a keepsake of their own story, such as a star map of their wedding night.

Good personalised wall art uses a detail that belongs to one person or couple, and still looks good in their home without an explanation: a star map of the night they met, a street map of their home town, or a painting of their house.