Lebkuchen is a gingerbread-like cookie that is made with and nuts as well as almond paste and candied citrus peel. All of this deliciousness sits on a wafer base. The special spice mix we use for this and other spices treats is called Lebkuchengewurz and contains cinnamon; allspice, cloves, coriander; star anise; ginger; mace; cardamom, and nutmeg. You can try making Lebkuchen with this recipe.

There are many popular German handicraft items at Christmastime. This is part of what makes a visit to Germany’s Christmas Markets such a unique experience. Handicraft items can be handmade ornaments, blown glass, handcrafted wooden furniture, and more.

Germany has many beautiful ski resorts – several of them, such as Oberjoch, Obsterdorf, and Alpsee-Grünten are only a few hours from my home.

Raksha Bandhan is when a sister ties a thread around her brother’s wrist and the brother offers gifts to the sister and promises to protect her throughout her life. It has evolved in modern ages where siblings irrespective of gender promise to protect each other.

The wrist bracelets are tied and were traditionally simple thread bracelets. These days, bracelets come in all kinds and price ranges, with some featuring popular comic book heroes or cartoon characters or even medallions made of precious stones and metals. Wrist bracelets are also gifted on Friendship Day in India when people give one another friendship bands.

Books are a popular gift, both for those who must study and those who read for pleasure! Good books and be found not only online on sites like Amazon and Flipkart, but also in bigger bookstore chains and small bookstalls that are everywhere! In Old Delhi, there is a famous book market for second-hand books every Sunday.

India is the world’s largest consumer of gold, with some people still opting to keep their savings in gold jewelry rather than in a bank account. Jewelry is an important gift for weddings and is also a very popular gift during Diwali season (another festival explained below). There is a day called Danteras, when it is considered very auspicious to buy gold or buy other big-ticket items like cars and appliances.

Aside from gold jewelry (which is usually very ornate and 23 or 24 carat), India has many other very beautiful jewelry items, from more affordable lac/resin bangles and beautiful meena/enamel work to large kundan-set precious stone jewelry—and much more!

Travel offers us the occasion to share special gifts. For example, Isfahan is famous for gaz, a nougat and pistachio sweet. While the taste of the famous Isfahan gaz is impossible to replicate, you can still try making this delicious treat by trying the recipe here.

Women are always glad to receive a bottle of perfume, especially from France, on any occasion. This is true on any occasions, but especially on Valentine’s Day, which has caught on in Iran.

In general, Islam makes a big point of giving. Some people have more than they need, and some people have less. Those who have more should give five percent of their income, or whatever they have, to the poor. This is known as zakat.

Perhaps the biggest day for this is Eide Fitr, a celebration which comes at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. On that day you should give a kilo of wheat or a kilo of rice, or its equivalent in money, to those in need. Of course, you can give more if you wish.

Wigs are much-loved gifts for Nigerian women. It is a fun and easy way to change hairstyles quickly!

Government-forced removals of people from their housing and clearing of poor informal housing areas for new developments. This is one of many reasons that my hometown of Lagos has a high number of homeless persons. There are also a number of orphanages in my city. It is part of our culture to give to these populations as much as we can.

Many of us love bead jewelry for the sake of fashion and like to wear waist beads or beaded necklaces, bracelets, or anklets. However, beads have been a part of African culture for centuries. Certain jewelry is sometimes used to denote age and status. Different communities and tribes have their own meanings and significance to certain beads and bead colors. In Nigeria alone, there are over 300 different ethnic tribes, and while there are similarities between them, there are also marked differences!

There are a lot of video gaming fans in my country, especially among men! The latest and most popular gaming system now is the PlayStation 5 (PS5).

This is a layer cake made with the fragrant pandan leaf. Pandan is a tropical plant from the screwpine family. Pandan cake is a Peranakan dish – the Peranakans are an ethnic group descended from Chinese immigrants and indigenous peoples of the Malay island chain. See here for a guide to making Pandan cake.

Wine is a popular gift item here. We enjoy fine wines from all over the world – including Oregon’s famous pinot noir!

Red cash packets are gifted for Chinese New Year, weddings, and more to bring good luck and prosperity to the receiver.

Each year, Sweden’s National Trade Organization names a “Christmas Gift of the Year”. Last year, the pandemic spurred record-breaking numbers of visitors to Sweden’s 30 beautiful national parks and other nature areas. Therefore, the Christmas Gift of the Year was a stormköket (storm kitchen), a portable cooking stove for the outdoors.

As people return to more social experiences, the National Trade Organization has named an event ticket 2021’s the Christmas Gift of the Year. Not only are people able and eager to attend events, there is also concern that the opportunity may not last long as new restrictions could come into place.

I love travel and I love great restaurants and I know many others do as well. My suggestions are available on FrydmanGuides, my site dedicated to reviews of restaurants around the world. Available in nearly fifty languages, FrydmanGuides is of the world and for the world. It includes my favorite dining spots in Eugene, too.

Coffee is an important drink in Turkey, so coffee is a good go-to gift idea here. The traditional Turkish coffee is unfiltered and prepared with cold water and very finely ground coffee. You can learn more and try making it yourself.

Turkish delights (lokum) are a great gift that allows for both enjoying and sharing! The same goes for other popular sweets such as baklava and chocolate. Chocolate packets, which have different chocolates like Kit-Kat along with cookies/biscuits are a common gift.

Editor’s Note: For those who don’t know, Turkish delights are a sweet made from sugar and starch, often with nuts and flavored with rose water or citrus juice. You can even try making your own Turkish delights with this recipe.