Beyond rakhis and mithai: Sibling gifting gets a premium makeover

From jewellery that doubles as a keepsake to personalised hampers and sibling getaways, Raksha Bandhan is becoming a bigger spending occasion as consumers look beyond the traditional envelope of cash

There was a time when Raksha Bandhan shopping was fairly predictable. A rakhi for the brother, a box of mithai for the family and, depending on age and generosity, an envelope of cash or a gift for the sister. That familiar ritual remains, but the spending around it is changing.

 

The rakhi itself can now be a handcrafted piece of jewellery designed to survive long after the thread comes off. Gifts range from beauty and wellness products to designer clothing, handbags and premium hampers. And for some siblings, the gift is no longer an object at all: it could be a holiday together! Raksha Bandhan is becoming another example of the premiumisation of Indian festivals, as consumers spend more on personalisation, convenience and experiences.

When the rakhi becomes the gift

One of the clearest shifts is happening to the humble rakhi itself. Jewellery brands are turning what was traditionally an inexpensive festive purchase into a collectible. Tribe Amrapali, for instance, offers handcrafted rakhis incorporating gold-plated and silver-plated elements, enamel work, beads, pearls and motifs drawn from Indian design traditions. Prices range from Rs 618 for a gold-plated enamelled square bead rakhi to Rs 1,133 for its Mayoori Rakhi.

 

The idea is that the rakhi need not be discarded once the festival is over. It becomes a keepsake. Theaa similarly offers rakhis using materials such as gold, silver and semi-precious stones, with personalisation options and premium gift packaging. The change mirrors a wider trend in festive consumption: consumers are willing to pay more for something that combines tradition with design, craftsmanship and longevity.

Jewellery moves centre stage

The bigger-ticket transformation, however, is happening in the return gift. Jewellery has always had an emotional association with Indian celebrations, but brands are increasingly positioning it as a Raksha Bandhan purchase rather than something reserved for weddings, anniversaries or milestone birthdays.

 

CaratLane, for instance, is pitching jewellery as a gift that carries the memory of the sibling relationship long after the festival is over. “Raksha Bandhan is a celebration of love, nostalgia, and the bond that only siblings share,” says Shaifali Gautam, chief marketing officer (CMO), CaratLane.

 

There is also a practical dimension to festive gifting today: siblings increasingly live in different cities and countries. Distance creates a new gifting economy and cross-border gifting is another consequence of changing Indian families, and brands are responding by making international festive gifting easier. CaratLan, for example, has expanded international shipping to more than 30 countries, including Germany, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, France, Japan, New Zealand and Switzerland.

 

Gautam says the company wants to make gifting more meaningful for families across the globe, with international shipping allowing customers to send jewellery to siblings despite the distance.

Personalisation becomes the new premium

What consumers are paying for isn't necessarily just a more expensive product. Increasingly, they are paying for the feeling that a gift has been chosen specifically for its recipient.

 

That is a shift gifting companies are seeing too. According to Avi Kumar, CMO at FNP, personalisation, premiumisation and convenience are becoming important forces in festive gifting. Consumers are increasingly moving towards customised and thoughtful products rather than one-size-fits-all presents, while demand for premium hampers, gourmet products and flowers is also rising.

 

The sibling's personality is increasingly dictating the gift. A fitness enthusiast might receive activewear, a fashion-conscious sister a designer accessory, while one interested in skincare or wellness might get a beauty or self-care hamper. For retailers, this opens Raksha Bandhan to categories that historically had little connection with the festival.

 

Says 45 year old Gurugram based homemaker Anamika Singh: “My brother already buys most things he needs, so the challenge is finding something he wouldn't necessarily buy for himself. I don't mind spending Rs 10,000 or even Rs 20,000 if I find something that feels really ‘him’ rather than just another generic Rakhi gift. He is a lot into fitness and travel and I try to buy him something relevant for his lifestyle rather than generic gifts.”

 

What is striking about the new Raksha Bandhan economy is the sheer breadth of the gifting basket. At one end are accessible festive hampers. MasterChow's Rakhi gift box, for instance, is priced at Rs 699 and includes Sichuan chilli oil, garlic chilli crisp, Schezwan chutney and sweet-and-spicy cup noodles. A wellness-oriented Rakhi hamper from The Ayurveda Company has been offered at Rs 839.

 

Move up the spending ladder and the choices become considerably more varied. Activewear starts at around Rs 1,500, sunglasses at Rs 3,690, while a designer handbag rental subscription can start at Rs 10,000 a month. Resort wear can cost Rs 12,500 and a designer Anarkali set Rs 17,500. In other words, there is no longer one recognizable “Rakhi gift”. Fashion, beauty, food, jewellery, wellness and lifestyle companies are all competing for a share of festive spending.

Last-minute no longer means thoughtless

There is another major shift in festive shopping: speed. Quick commerce and hyperlocal delivery have dramatically altered expectations around festive purchases. Consumers who once had to organise gifts days in advance can increasingly shop much closer to the occasion.

 

FNP identifies last-minute gifting as an important part of the changing market, with fast delivery allowing consumers to make spontaneous festive purchases more easily. Convenience and emotion may appear unlikely partners, but contemporary gifting increasingly demands both: consumers want something that feels considered without necessarily having spent a week organising it.

 

Gen Z and millennials are helping accelerate the shift. Digital-first shoppers are more comfortable discovering gifts online, responding to social-media trends and buying experiences or unconventional products instead of defaulting to traditional festive purchases.

 

Technology is entering the discovery process too, with AI increasingly being used to recommend gifts based on consumer preferences and behaviour.

From gifting things to gifting time

Perhaps the most interesting development is at the top end of the spending spectrum. Instead of buying another watch, handbag or piece of jewellery, siblings can spend on an experience together.

 

This year's calendar makes that particularly tempting. Raksha Bandhan falls on a Friday, creating a three-day weekend and making short-haul travel another potential form of sibling gifting.

 

Abu Dhabi, for example, is around a three-to-four-hour direct flight from major Indian hubs such as Delhi and Mumbai. Instead of exchanging gifts at home, siblings could conceivably spend the weekend racing each other at Yas Marina Circuit, riding Formula Rossa at Ferrari World, visiting Louvre Abu Dhabi or simply spending a day at the beach. Closer home, a weekend at a resort near Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru can serve the same purpose at a lower cost. The important shift is conceptual: the gift becomes time spent together.

 

It is part of the wider move towards experiential consumption that has already transformed birthdays, anniversaries and milestone celebrations.

What should you spend?

There is, of course, no correct Raksha Bandhan budget. But the expanding marketplace now offers distinct spending bands.

• Under Rs 1,000: artisanal rakhis, food hampers and smaller wellness gifts.
• Rs 1,000-Rs 5,000: premium rakhis, beauty, activewear, accessories, sunglasses and curated hampers.
• Rs 5,000-Rs 20,000: designer fashion, subscriptions and premium lifestyle gifts.
• Rs 20,000 and above: fine jewellery, luxury accessories and travel experiences.

The smartest purchase isn't necessarily the most expensive one. A handcrafted rakhi that becomes a keepsake may carry more meaning than an expensive but generic gift. That may ultimately be the biggest change in Raksha Bandhan spending. Premiumisation does not simply mean spending more. Increasingly, it means spending more thoughtfully.