Birthday gift ideas in Canada

Start with what they do most

Birthday gifts are easier than holiday gifts. You are buying for one person, and you have had a year to notice what they do. Pick the activity they spend the most free time on and buy a better tool for it.

A runner gets the Forerunner 165. A reader gets the Kobo Clara Colour. A coffee drinker gets the Detour club from Ontario. A parent who spends summers at the cottage gets the Revolution Wool throw. A backyard cook gets the Ooni.

The ATH-M20xBT is our top pick because headphones suit almost every age from a young teen up, and these have long battery life plus a wired option.

Budgets

Under $55 covers friends and coworkers: the iFixit driver kit, the 100 Movies scratch-off book, the Stanley IceFlow, and the Detour club for one month. Note that the scratch-off book is listed in US dollars.

$55 to $230 is the usual range for close friends, siblings and partners: the Mantis 2, the Bird Head toque, Super Mario Party Jamboree, the Instax Mini 12, the Logitech Lift, the Mobile Tripod, the ATH-M20xBT, the Kobo, the Marshall Major V and the turntable.

Above that, give one thing they will use for years: the wool throw, the Forerunner or the Ooni.

Common mistakes

Ignoring what they own. The Mobile Tripod needs a MagSafe iPhone or magnetic case. Super Mario Party needs a Switch. The Instax needs film, about a dollar a print.

Buying a subscription with no end date. The Detour club charges every month until someone stops it, so decide how many months you are paying for.

Timing

Order physical gifts at least a week ahead, and more for anything coming from the US. If the day sneaks up, the first Detour delivery or a printed note promising a dinner out still gives them something to open.

Questions people ask

What is a good birthday gift for someone who has everything?

An experience or a consumable. Afternoon tea, a pottery session or a balloon flight gives them a day rather than a thing. A coffee subscription or a book-a-month plan keeps arriving without filling cupboards. If they still want an object, upgrade something they use daily, like their headphones or their socks.

How much should you spend on a birthday gift?

It depends on how close you are. Many people spend under $40 for friends and coworkers, $40 to $150 for close friends and siblings, and more for a partner or a milestone birthday. A group gift lets everyone chip in for something larger, which works well for a 40th or 50th.

What is a good last-minute birthday gift?

An emailed voucher. The RedBalloon e-gift card in Australia and Buyagift's afternoon tea e-voucher in the UK both arrive the same day. In the US and Canada, gift cards for experiences or a coffee subscription work the same way. Print it and put it in a card so there is something to open.

What are good milestone birthday gifts?

Something they will remember rather than store. Experiences like a hot air balloon flight, a pottery evening for two or afternoon tea at a nice venue suit a 30th, 40th or 50th. If you want an object, pick a lasting one, like a wool throw or a good watch, and consider pooling money with others.