15 “Just Because” Gifts for Friends in 2024

Let’s face it: making friends as an adult can be challenging. Not only do you have to find new places to meet people outside of school and the activities you met friends in when you were younger, but nurturing the friendship into something deeper is probably the hardest part. Especially if their love language is receiving gifts, getting a friend a gift “just because” can be a great way to show your appreciation for them and deepen your bond. Below are the 15 best gifts to get for a friend, just to thank them for being them and show how much your friendship means to them.

1. Custom Beer Flight Set

These are not only great “just because” gifts for friends, but they also make great housewarming gifts! When one of my best friends first moved to my city, I gave her one similar to this – she still pulls it out for get-togethers almost 2 years later. There are also options available for wine, mimosa, and shot flights if your friend isn’t a beer person.

This personalized beer flight board comes with custom glasses as well as a custom board.

2. Spotify Code Key Ring

Perfect for music-lovers, a Spotify code key ring can link to any song on Spotify. Choosing a song that reminds you of your friendship is a great way to remind your friend how much you love and care for them. Plus, they can take it wherever they go!

These Spotify code keyrings also come with an engraved message on the back to make them extra special.

3. Sports Team Jersey

While I’m not a big sports fan myself, plenty of my friends love to get fully decked-out in their favorite team’s gear, even if they’re just going to be watching the game at home. Show your support for their team by gifting them a jersey for their favorite team – bonus points if you figure out their favorite player’s name to have on the back! If you’re a sports fan as well, you can even have matching jerseys for the next game.

Fanatics has one of the largest selections for sports jerseys and team gear across all different sports, from football to basketball to soccer.

4. Customized Journal or Planner

An amazing “just because” gift for a friend who’s self-aware and introspective! Gifting a custom one will always remind a friend who got it for them, which is bound to strike some meaningful reflections and maybe even inspire them to make plans for the two of you in the near future.

This 2024 personalized planner has areas to write down to-dos and appointments, as well as blank space for journaling and making notes.

5. Non-toxic Personal Care Set

Who doesn’t love a good personal care set, especially if it’s great for all skin types? Choosing a non-toxic set will ensure that no matter who it’s given to, they can rest easy knowing it won’t have any harsh added chemicals or toxic ingredients. Travel sizes are great gifts for the friend who’s always on the go.

Osea is a fantastic non-toxic brand and offers a best-selling body care set.

6. DIY Nail Kit

We all love a nice-looking set of nails, but learning to do them yourself can be a great way to get the results you want and save some money in the process! There are lots of different kits to choose from depending on what kind of polish (regular, gel, SNS, etc.) you like. This is also a fun activity to do together – you might become each other’s new nail techs!

This DIY gel nail kit is perfect for beginners.

7. Smart Watch Band

I’ve always been envious of those who take the time to switch out their smart watch bands to compliment their outfit of the day. Just a simple swap can completely elevate your look and make your watch look classier. For the fashionable friend, a new band or two might be the perfect “just because” gift for their getting ready routine.

Stainless steel smart watch straps are a great option and come in a variety of colors.

8. Custom Picture Frame

Instead of that selfie you and your friend took at the last concert you went to getting lost in the archives of your camera roll, why not put it out on display where you can look at it often and cherish the memory?

Custom picture frames allow you to beautifully display a photo of your choice and can even be engraved with words, phrases, or names that are meaningful to your friendship.

9. Custom Charcuterie Board

Charcuterie nights are one of my favorite things to do with my friends on the weekends. If everyone helps pitch in, they can be incredibly inexpensive – plus, it has the fun option of each person picking out a cheese or meat of their choice so that everyone has something they like!

An engraved charcuterie board is a wonderful way to open the door to charcuterie nights with a sentimental feel going forward.

10. Car Seat Gap Filler

We all have that clumsy friend who can’t seem to stop dropping things wherever they go (spoiler alert: it’s me in my friend circle). To avoid that incredibly frustrating experience of dropping something into the abyss that is the gap between car seats, a car seat gap filler is an awesome gift to help your friend out.

There are a variety of these to choose from, but my favorite is the Drop Stop Car Seat Gap Filler.

11. Candle with a Custom Scent

Who wouldn’t love being able to choose a candle that smells exactly the way you want? Custom candles give you the freedom to make any friend light up with excitement, whether they’re into sweet smells, fruity smells, fresh smells, or woody smells. Of course no custom candle is complete without a custom label to make your friend feel that much more special!

These custom scented candles on Etsy not only have lots of scents to choose from, but even an option to customize your own if you don’t see what you want.

12. Matching Monogramed Sweatshirts

I don’t know about you, but sweatshirts are an essential staple in my wardrobe. They’re not only perfect for lounging around the house and running errands, but paired together with a nice pair of pants and shoes and dressed up with some accessories, they can actually be a quite stylish outfit. I personally would be thrilled to receive a custom sweatshirt from one of my friends that had both of our names on them, so this could be a great just because option for that friend you’ve been wanting to get closer to!

Check out these custom bestie hoodies where you can even choose the date your friendship was established.

13. Aesthetic Phone Icons

If you’re anything like me, I’m a sucker for a perfectly put-together, super aesthetic… well, anything. A gorgeous living room, an organized drawer, or even a phone home screen. With an even bigger ability than before to customize our home screens, a done-for-you kit to make your phone pretty and aesthetic is an awesome gift for the friend who may not be as strong in design.

Creative Market is a great place to find these – I love this aesthetic icon set for iOS 14.

14. Matching Laptop and Keyboard Cover

A laptop and keyboard cover can completely change the look of a laptop and make it feel like it’s a brand new computer! For the techy friend or friend who’s always on their computer, these are a great option to help them upgrade their setup. I often see these advertised specifically for MacBooks, but you can find them for any type of computer with a quick Google search.

I’m absolutely in love with this marble design laptop & keyboard cover set!

15. Make-at-Home Popcorn Maker

As much as I love going out to the movies, nothing beats snuggling up in the comfort of my own home to watch the new Netflix movie with my husband or besties. For the friend who’s a movie-fanatic, an old-school popcorn maker is such a fun way to bring the authenticity to an at-home movie night. It can also be a fun activity to make popcorn together and try out different seasonings, toppings, or add-ins!

I had a Whirly Pop Popcorn Maker when I was younger and I absolutely loved it – the popcorn was perfect and delicious every single time.

Conclusion

I hope this helped you to see that you don’t need a reason or a special occasion to surprise a friend with a special gift! Not only are there so many different things you could choose from based on their interests and hobbies, but it speaks volumes to receive a gift that shows you how much someone loves and cares for you. I hope that if you’ve been wanting to deepen your relationship with a certain friend or friends, you will give this a try. The most fulfilling relationships are those in which our primary focus is not to find love, but to give as much love as we can.