Beyond Mithai, Rakhi Gifting Gets More Personal And Gender-Neutral

Silly fights, endless banter and lifelong leg-pulling define the sibling bond. Come Raksha Bandhan, the squabbling takes a backseat as siblings race to find the perfect gift for each other.

From thoughtful picks to fun surprises, it’s that time of the year when siblings go all out to spoil each other.

This year is no exception, nor is the challenge of finding that elusive, perfect gift for a loved one amid an overwhelming abundance of choices.

Beyond the age-old mithai and chocolate boxes, there’s a whole world of gifting options to explore -- from chic and functional cookware, like pans and cast-iron Dutch ovens, to home décor, such as figurines, candle stands and handcrafted leather goods.

Gadgets like projectors, digital frames and fitness bands make for smart picks, while beauty and gourmet hampers add a little indulgence. And for the health-conscious sibling, there’s an array of wellness goodies to choose from.

“My brother is tech-savvy. So, a gadget is always a safe choice. The million-dollar question is which one. I’m confused between a speaker, a projector and a PlayStation.

"Since he is also trying his hand at cooking these days, I am also thinking of a fancy cookware or an appliance. Let's see," said Anusha Jaiswal, a 43-year-old management professional.

Her dilemma reflects a larger shift in rakhi gifting this year, with shoppers looking beyond traditional sweets and chocolates for gifts that are indulgent, useful and gender-neutral.

While cookware brand Ember, anticipating a festive sales uptick, launched its new products, the SuperPan and Marvel Oven, around the occasion, specialty coffee brand KOFIHAUS is tapping the appetite for everyday indulgence with festive hampers pairing coffee with brewing accessories.

“There is a growing preference for products that are thoughtful, well-designed and built to last, rather than gifts that are purely ceremonial. We also saw a lovely mix in who was gifting whom.

"Around 40% of our 'Ember Concierge' gifting requests came from siblings buying for one another -- a nice reminder that great kitchen gifts aren't really about gender, they're about knowing what someone will love,” said Himanshi Tandon, co-founder of Ember.

Electronics and grooming are also expanding the rakhi gift basket, with brands betting on products that are personal as well as practical.

XElectron is seeing demand for digital photo frames almost double during the festive and gifting season, while portable projectors see a 30% rise.

“Rakhi remains a big gifting moment for electronics and this year we're seeing real interest in products that mix usefulness with a personal touch. People aren't just going for the usual gifts anymore; they want something that can actually fit into the receiver's daily life,” said Gagan Sharma, managing director of XElectron.

Grooming is proving equally gender-neutral, with sibling brands Bombay Shaving Company and Bombae registering demand across categories, from grooming kits to hairstyling products.

Beauty brand The Body Shop has also upped its festive gifting game with limited-edition hampers and its ‘Create Your Own Gift Boxes’, which let shoppers curate personalised hampers in festive designs with 'Happy Rakhi' tags.

The gifting market is catering to every budget -- from handcrafted leather goods to beauty, personal care and everyday home décor.

Luxury brand Three Sixty Leather saw a surge in demand for its artisanal wallets, laptop bags, desk caddies and totes, while affordable home-improvement retailer MR. DIY reported a "40-50% rise in footfall", with shoppers picking up everything from plush toys and lamps to perfumes, cosmetics and skincare, across price points ranging from ₹49 to ₹1,000-plus.

Ethnic fashion brand Biba, too, is expecting "double-digit sales" growth this rakhi, driven by strong demand for both gifting and festive dressing.

Health continues to be a sought-after rakhi gift, with the post-pandemic focus on wellness keeping dry fruits, curated wellness products and daily nutrition supplements high on shoppers’ lists -- either as standalone gifts or as part of festive hampers.

“For occasions such as Rakhi, products that are both useful and easy to gift tend to resonate strongly. We are seeing positive demand across skin and beauty, daily nutrition, hydration, and sleep and recovery, with products like our collagen range, protein, magnesium and hydrasalts leading the way,” said Saurabh Kapoor, co-founder of Wellbeing Nutrition.

That said, traditional mithai, despite the rise of contemporary gifting options, is far from losing its sweet spot.

At Delhi’s iconic Ghantewala Confectioners, owner Aryan Jain says mithai remains a mainstay of rakhi gifting, with demand surging "15-20% and more" during the festival.

Classics such as 'kaju katli', 'sohan halwa', 'gulab jamun' and 'laddoos' continue to rule the roost, proving that some traditions are simply too sweet to replace.

Joining the sweet gifting brigade with a sinful, modern and indulgent twist is Ben’s Cookies, whose Rakhi-curated “Sibling Tin Duo” is also flying off the shelves.

While brick-and-mortar retailers are seeing healthy demand, online cash registers are ringing just as strongly.

Online e-commerce giant Amazon's 'Raksha Bandhan Store' recorded "2X year-on-year growth", with shoppers buying across categories including electronics, home, kitchen, fashion and beauty.

"Perfumes, accessories and apparel grew 2X, while home décor and kitchen clocked 1.5X growth. On Amazon Now, chocolate gifts emerged as the fastest-growing gifting category, up 2.5X, while Kaju Katli grew 2X, with customers also opting for culturally inspired Rakhis as well as newer designs such as evil-eye motifs," it noted.