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How to choose a gift for Saint Nicholas Day
Saint Nicholas gifts are usually smaller and warmer than New Year ones: a pleasant surprise rather than the main gift of the season. A simple formula works well: something tasty, something useful and something that creates a mood. For children add a little mystery, for adults pay attention to tastes and habits.
Children up to 6
- Sweets in nice packaging: tangerines, gingerbread, chocolate figures.
- A developmental game, a puzzle or a set of blocks.
- A picture book or stories about Saint Nicholas.
- A soft toy or a toy night light.
- A drawing set: paints, modelling clay, stickers.
Children aged 7 to 12
- A building set or a model to assemble.
- A board game for the whole family.
- A craft kit: bracelets, a sketchbook, bead animals.
- A book from a favourite series.
- Sports gear: a jump rope, a ball, roller skates.
- Cinema or theatre tickets that you can choose together.
Teenagers
- Headphones, a power bank, a phone case or stand.
- A warm hoodie, a hat or a scarf in a style they choose themselves.
- A board game for a group of friends.
- Merch from a favourite band, game or series.
- A gift card for a cafe, music or a favourite service.
Give teenagers a choice: if you do not know what they like now, ask, or let them write a short wishlist.
A girlfriend or a wife
- A care set: a cream, a mask, a lip balm.
- A scented candle or a diffuser.
- A cosy blanket or soft house socks.
- A piece of jewellery, a bracelet or a small accessory.
- A book with tea or cocoa for the evening.
- A massage or manicure voucher.
A boyfriend or a husband
- A thermal mug or a water bottle.
- A coffee or tea set.
- A power bank, headphones or another phone accessory.
- A board game or a console game.
- A useful small thing: a multitool, an organizer, a wallet.
- A warm sweater, a hoodie or socks.
Parents and grandparents
- A warm blanket or throw.
- Tea, honey and jam from a local producer.
- A photo book or a frame with a family picture.
- Comfortable house slippers or warm socks.
- A book or a craft kit for a hobby.
- A shared evening: a dinner, a board game or a video call if you are far away.
Inexpensive treats “under the pillow”
By tradition, on the morning of 6 December children find a small gift from Saint Nicholas under the pillow or by the bed. It does not need a big budget: a few nice small things are enough.
- Tangerines, nuts, gingerbread and chocolate.
- Home-baked cookies with a name on them.
- A small toy or stickers.
- A card with a wish “from Saint Nicholas”.
More ideas that do not look cheap: Inexpensive gifts under UAH 300.
How to avoid the same gift twice
Saint Nicholas gifts are often bought by several people in one family, and then three identical sets appear and none of the one you need. The simplest fix is to collect wishes in one place. In a wishlist everyone adds what they would like to receive, and relatives reserve gifts so they do not repeat: the owner only sees that something is already reserved, so the surprise stays.
For the whole family it is convenient to create a shared group for friends and family: everyone has their own lists and the rest see them through an invitation link.
When to buy
Do not leave it for the last week: popular toys and sets sell out and delivery before the holidays is slower. Make a list two or three weeks before 6 December and order in advance.
And if you play Secret Santa
At work or at school the gift is chosen by a draw and a budget. Ideas for that are collected separately: What to give your Secret Santa. To run the game itself, see Secret Santa online.
Everything about Secret Santa in one place: Secret Santa in Bazhanka.
Try it in Bazhanka
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