If we talk about sibling love, then Indians not only celebrate Raksha Bandhan but ‘Bhai Dooj’ as well. Bhai Dooj or ‘Bhaiya Dooj’ is observed on the second day after Diwali celebrations. This day marks the sacred relationship shared between a brother and sister. Sisters apply tilak on the foreheads of their brothers and pray for their prosperity and longevity.

On the day of the festival, sisters invite their brothers for a meal and have a family feast or get together. The meal often includes their brother’s favourite dishes and sweets. The brother promises his sister to be with her through the thick and thins and protect her and the sisters pray for their happiness.
The occasion falls on the last day of the five days long Diwali festival.
The current date of Bhai Dooj for the year 2022 is 26th October
The pooja thali in this occasion includes vermilion, rice, water in a pot, sweets, lamp, coconut, and a holy thread.
Gift Ideas for brothers this Bhai Dooj
The entire idea of celebrating Bhai Dooj revolves around making your brother feel special. Some would prefer having a relaxing Sunday with their families or brothers at home, while some would want to go out and do some activities such as playing their brother’s favourite sport or making a special meal for him. If you are not a good cook, a surprise dining out is also a good option! One can also plan for brunch at their sibling’s favourite restaurant. Sometimes, presenting them with a t-shirt with his favourite quote written is also enough to bring cheerful smiles.
Not just this, one can buy presents for their brothers such as neckties, chocolates, his favourite books, electronic gadgets that he is fond of, or a golf kit, cricket kit etc.
For sisters, you can buy their favourite books, perfumes, cosmetics, jewellery, handbags, gadgets, personalized gifts and what not!
Bhai Dooj when your sibling is overseas
Being an international student is hard. It means spending years away from your family and not being together on special occasions. You can still make your siblings feel special by sending them cake or flowers online and making a few video calls throughout the day would make them feel special!
Websites from where you can send gifts to your siblings abroad
Other Gift Ideas
We have already discussed some ideas for Bhai Dooj, now let us talk about some other gifts that you can give to your sibling. They are:
- Home-baked cake/meal: What less than a delicious home-baked cake! It would do wonders to make your sibling happy. Bake a cake of his or her favourite flavour and see how magical it becomes! You can also prepare a meal for them!
- Activity Tracker or a Sports Watch: With this, your brother or sister can be extra cautious of his health and fitness. This is the perfect gift for them as it would also track their health and make them more healthy and fit.
- Photo frame: Gifting old pictures in a beautiful frame is the most heart-touching way you can give to anyone to make one feel special. You can make a beautiful Collage of your sibling’s pictures from childhood and frame it. It would surprise them the most.
- Favourite Perfume: If your sibling is fond of perfumes then, this would be the perfect gift.
- Karaoke night: For music lovers, there will be no better way of surprising than this. Take your siblings to a karaoke night nearby and make them sing their favourite songs.
- Cuff links: If your brother has a lot of business meetings to attend, then this could be perfect for him too!
Bhai Dooj is more about celebrating the beautiful sibling bond and making your sibling feel valued and special. If you still don’t know what to buy for your brother or sister, the best option is to take them shopping so that they can buy whatever they like! If they are with you then you may consider this easy option as well!
Hope these ideas help you surprise your siblings in a better way! Share it with as many people as possible so that everyone can celebrate the beautiful sibling bond with sweet surprises!
Wishing everyone a very Happy Bhai Dooj.
Source: Ferns & Petals