Ease of Consumption and Little Luxuries: Top Picks for 'Return Gifts' That Would Make Me Happy! 💖

Let's Send a Thank You Gift to Those Who Gave Wedding Congratulations ♡

Getting married, having a baby, or building a new home. There are many life-changing events for brides-to-be! ♩

During such joyous times, you often receive congratulations from those around you. It’s important to remember to send a "thank you gift" called "uchiiwai" in return.＊

In the past, "uchiiwai" was something given by those who had experienced a joyous event as a way to "share their happiness" with those around them, even if no gifts were received in return.

However, recently, there are voices that say, "sending a thank you gift first feels like prompting for congratulations," so it has become more common to send "uchiiwai" after receiving congratulations, as a way to express gratitude.

The budget for "uchiiwai" usually ranges from half to one-third of the amount received.＊

While "uchiiwai" is often a gift of items rather than money, the typical budget varies.

Depending on your relationship with the gift-giver, a good guideline is to aim for about half to one-third of the amount you received. For example, if you receive 5,000 yen, the usual return gift would be around 2,000 to 1,000 yen.

For 30,000 yen, it would be about 15,000 to 10,000 yen, and for 10,000 yen, around 3,000 yen. Therefore, you often have to differentiate your gifts by price range, which can make choosing a gift a challenge for many.

The key is to choose items that enhance daily life and are easy to consume!

I also had a tough time choosing items for "uchiiwai"! When I checked online shopping sites or department stores, I was overwhelmed by the variety of products, from the classic to the historical and trendy.

But ultimately, I decided that the best gifts are the ones that I would be genuinely happy to receive!

The commonalities in items that my husband and I would be thrilled to receive were "easy to consume" and "provide a little daily luxury."

This is our personal experience, but it might serve as a reference for someone, so I’ll list the items we chose as gifts.＊

Things I Would Be Happy to Receive as "Uchiiwai" ① Pickles

Isn't it delightful to receive pickles from a specialty store that are a bit pricey and not available at the supermarket?

With just plain white rice and miso soup, and a little luxury of good pickles, you have a wonderful meal ready!＊

Items like pickled tomatoes, long pickles, or senmaizuke may be high-end pickles that many Japanese people love but wouldn't usually buy for themselves, so I would be very happy to receive them as a gift!＊

When I go to the pickle shop, they usually sell around 500 to 800 yen per bag (for one type), so I often select a mix according to the budget. Typically, I choose pickles when I’m returning a gift costing around 5000 yen.

*However, if it goes beyond that, like "10,000 yen worth of pickles," it would be too much to consume...!

I also try to ensure that the set I create doesn’t skew too much towards items with short expiry dates by mixing fresh and aged pickles.

Pickles like tomatoes and long pickles are appealing but take care as they have a short shelf life.

Things I Would Be Happy to Receive as "Uchiiwai" ② Saikyo-marinated Fish

If the budget is around 5000 yen, I typically combine pickles costing less than 1000 yen each, but when I am choosing gifts with a higher budget, I opt for "Saikyo-marinated fish" like sablefish, red snapper, or Spanish mackerel!

Saikyo-marinated fish usually costs about 1000 yen per piece, and even for very high-end fish, it's typically under 2000 yen. When I prepare a gift set with a 10,000 yen budget, I think about 7 to 12 pieces are a manageable quantity for singles, couples, or families!＊

Delicious, slightly expensive fish is something I wouldn’t buy for myself (I usually only buy discounted fish at the supermarket in the evening...) so having it ready eliminates the need to figure out dinner!

Since fish has a short shelf life, freezing is a great option for storage! Plus, if I suddenly need to prepare a meal, I can thaw it quickly in cold water and it’s ready to eat, so I always think, "I would be thrilled to receive this."

Things I Would Be Happy to Receive as "Uchiiwai" ③ Senbikiya Jelly

Senbikiya jelly. This is something my husband insists, "I would absolutely be happy to receive this. Whenever I get a gift, this is what makes me happiest."

"No one hates jelly, and just the name Senbikiya gives it a sense of specialness. I have memories from childhood of it being a 'delicacy,' which makes me very pleased when I receive it," according to my husband.

There are various products of Senbikiya jelly, and depending on the quantity, it ranges from about 1000 yen for a pack of 3 to around 5000 yen for larger sets, so when my budget is lower (from about 1000 to 3000 yen), I often choose Senbikiya jelly.

By the way, Senbikiya also offers a multitude of other attractive products like jams and compotes, but I think jelly is the most universally appreciated option. ## Jam cannot be consumed alone, requiring bread or yogurt, so it depends on their lifestyle, which can lower the consumption barrier. Compote might appeal to women, but men or older people might be unsure how to enjoy it, so I often settle on the safer option of jelly.

Things I Would Be Happy to Receive as "Uchiiwai" ④ Disney Tickets

For couples of a similar age or those with small children who have given us many gifts, I buy Disney tickets at the Disney Store and send them with a letter.

Disney tickets cost 7,400 yen each. So two tickets are 14,800 yen. For couples or friends, they are for two, but I recently realized that for families with small children, two adult tickets can admit three!

It seems that children under the age of four can enter without an admission fee, so with two adult tickets, the family can enjoy the park without needing to purchase additional tickets!

Disney Resort is quite an enjoyable dream place but increasingly expensive, so I believe Disney tickets would surely be appreciated!

Things I Would Be Happy to Receive as "Uchiiwai" ⑤ Grandma's Marble Danish

When I receive a gift of around 3000 to 5000 yen, I confidently send Grandma's Marble Danish, which costs 1500 yen per piece!

The reason is that it’s delicious, and I personally love it (haha)! Each costs 1500 yen, which is just right! It can also be a set of three for around 5000 yen, and since bread can be frozen, I can slice it and freeze a portion for guests to toast and enjoy each morning!

(But, I love it so much that I could easily eat a whole loaf in one day!)

Things I Would Be Happy to Receive as "Uchiiwai" ⑥ Jiiichiro’s Baumkuchen

The Baumkuchen, resembling tree rings and symbolizing longevity and prosperity, is a classic celebratory gift, but many people may think, “It’s a bit dry and not my favorite…”

However, Jiiichiro's Baumkuchen has a fluffy mouthfeel that is truly delicious!♡

There are individually packaged cuts, but I prefer the round tree ring-shaped large ones, which provide the best fluffy texture.

The boxes are sturdy and feel substantial! *

There are stores in Ebisu Atre and Shinjuku Lumine, making it a convenient gift for thanks or souvenirs. Each piece is 1800 yen.

I Want to Send Gifts That I Would Be Happy to Receive as "Uchiiwai"＊

When receiving a gift, it's common to express gratitude and send a return gift!

Naturally, I want to select items that will be well-liked based on the amount, age, gender, and preferences of the recipient, but since I am not that person, it can be challenging to imagine their feelings and find the perfect gift.

Therefore, I always try to choose “something I would be thrilled to receive.”

Choosing gifts based on assumptions about what others might like can often lead to misses.

However, I believe that at a minimum, anything I would personally find extremely delightful can’t be something everyone would detest.

My gift selection points are two: items that are easy to consume and those that provide a sense of little luxury.

All the products mentioned in this article are things that my husband and I love, so feel free to use them as references! ＊