Rakhi gifting has always been personal, but what people consider a thoughtful gift can look different across generations. It's worth thinking about why, generation by generation.
There's also a limited-time offer running right now, spend Rs. 2,999 or more at The Face Shop and get a free 18k gold-plated Palmonas bracelet with your gift. Worth checking the current terms before you check out.
Before Living Memory
Generations like the Lost Generation (roughly 1883-1900), the Greatest Generation (1901-1927), and the Silent Generation (1928-1945) lived through Rakhi celebrations too, but there's no meaningful record of how they specifically approached gifting, and almost none of them are alive today to ask. Rather than guess at something we can't actually verify, this piece focuses on the generations who are still shopping, gifting, and celebrating Rakhi right now.
Baby Boomers (1946-1964)
For Boomers, the default Rakhi gift has usually been cash, sweets, or both. It's simple, it's traditional, and there's genuinely nothing wrong with it. As grandparents and parents today, many Boomers are still the ones setting the tone for how a family celebrates the occasion, even if they're not always the ones picking gifts anymore.
Generation X (1965-1980)
Gen X sits in an interesting middle ground between traditional and personal gifting. Many grew up with the cash-and-mithai default but started shifting toward picking something more specific as gifting became a bit more personal, a perfume, an accessory, something that said a little more about the person than a fixed amount of money could.
Millennials (1981-1996)
Millennials pushed personalized gifting further, making "thoughtful over traditional" a common approach. This is roughly where that framing started becoming the more common choice, gifts chosen around what someone actually likes, rather than what's customary to give. Skincare started showing up here too, though often as one option among several rather than a default.
What Gen Z Wants for Rakhi Gifts
Skincare has become a more visible Rakhi gift option for Gen Z, particularly as beauty and skincare are increasingly part of everyday online conversations. Practicality also matters, a skincare product can feel personal while still being something the recipient can use regularly. For many Gen Z shoppers, online research and shopping can also be part of the gifting process, making clear product categories and gifting collections useful.
Is Gen Alpha Into Skincare Gifting Yet?
Generation Alpha is mostly too young to be buying Rakhi gifts independently, but they're already growing up around skincare content and routines. Older siblings, family members and social media are making skincare more familiar to this generation than it was for previous generations at the same age. It's still too early to say exactly how Gen Alpha will approach Rakhi gifting as they get older, but their exposure to beauty and skincare is worth watching.
Why Skincare Fits Where Gifting Is Headed
Skincare sits at an interesting intersection across most of these generations. It's personal enough to feel considered, practical enough to actually get used, and flexible enough to work across almost any budget. It doesn't require the gift-giver to know exact sizes or preferences the way clothing or accessories might. That combination is probably why it's become a more common Rakhi pick across the generations that are actively gifting today.
Where to Shop
Whichever generation you're gifting for, The Face Shop's Rakhi Gifts hub is a good starting point, with dedicated collections for sister and brother gifting.
FAQs
Has Rakhi gifting actually changed over time?
There's no single study that proves it, but conversations around gifting do seem to have shifted, from cash and sweets toward more personal, practical gifts like skincare, particularly among younger generations.
Why doesn't this cover every generation in detail?
The oldest generations discussed here lived a century or more ago, and there's no reliable record of their specific Rakhi gifting habits. Rather than guess, this piece focuses on the generations actually shopping and celebrating today.
What does Gen Z want for a Rakhi gift?
Skincare has become a more visible option, partly because it's practical, a product that gets used repeatedly, and partly because beauty and skincare are increasingly part of everyday online conversations for this generation. Online research and shopping can also be part of how Gen Z approaches gifting.
Is Gen Alpha into skincare gifting yet?
Mostly not as independent buyers, since the oldest are only entering their teens. But they're already growing up around skincare content and routines through older siblings and social media, which is likely to shape their gifting habits as they get older.
Why has skincare become a common Rakhi gift?
It's personal without being complicated, it gets used repeatedly rather than once, and it works across a wide range of budgets, which makes it a flexible pick regardless of who you're buying for.
Is a traditional gift like cash or mithai still a good choice?
Sure, there's nothing wrong with either. The shift toward skincare isn't about one being better, it's just a different way of expressing the same gesture.