Gift Etiquette: A Modern Guide for Every Occasion

Gift etiquette in the UK is largely unwritten, which makes it easy to get wrong. How much should you spend? Is it rude to give cash? Can you re-gift something? These questions come up more often than most people admit.

This guide covers the modern rules — practical, honest, and free of outdated formality.

How Much to Spend

There's no universal answer, but here are reasonable guidelines for UK gifting in 2026:

These are guidelines, not rules. The right amount depends on your relationship, your budget, and what feels comfortable. Nobody worth their friendship will judge you for spending less. For smart ideas at the lower end of each range, see our budget-friendly gift ideas guide.

A few well-rated options that fit the most common spending tiers:

Giving Cash and Vouchers

Cash has traditionally been seen as impersonal in the UK, but attitudes are shifting. For weddings, it's now the norm — many couples actively prefer it. For birthdays, vouchers for a specific shop the person likes are generally better received than generic gift cards.

The key is presentation. Cash in a card with a heartfelt message feels different from cash stuffed in an envelope. A voucher with a note explaining why you chose that particular shop shows thought.

Re-Gifting

Re-gifting is perfectly acceptable under these conditions:

• The item is unused, in its original packaging
• It genuinely suits the new recipient
• The original giver won't find out (or wouldn't mind)
• You're not passing off someone else's thoughtfulness as your own

What's not acceptable: re-gifting to someone in the same social circle, re-gifting something obviously worn or used, or re-gifting something clearly personalised for someone else.

Workplace Gifting

Office gift-giving has its own minefield of etiquette:

• Group contributions— Never pressure anyone. “We're collecting if you'd like to contribute” is the right tone.
• Manager to team— Keep it equal across the team. Individually personalised small gifts (a favourite snack, a coffee voucher) are better than one expensive gift for some and not others.
• Secret Santa— Stick to the budget. Avoid anything that could be misread (alcohol for someone who doesn't drink, humour that not everyone shares).

Thank You Notes

A thank you message is always appropriate, and sooner is better. For informal gifts, a text or message is fine. For significant occasions (weddings, milestone birthdays), a handwritten card is still the gold standard in the UK.

The best thank you notes mention the specific gift and how you plan to use or enjoy it. “Thank you for the lovely candle — it's already making my living room smell wonderful” tells the giver their choice was appreciated.

The Golden Rule

Most etiquette anxiety comes from overthinking. The real rule is simple: give with genuine thought, receive with genuine gratitude, and don't keep score. Everything else is detail. If you're navigating spring occasions specifically, our seasonal gifting guide for spring 2026 has curated picks for every event.