Friendship Day 2025: Date, History, Significance, and 4 unique gift ideas

Happy Friendship Day 2025 (Image: Canva)

Friendship day is more than just an excuse to exchange bracelets or flood your Instagram stories with throwback selfies. It’s in the fast paced life, this day comes as an excuse to celebrate the people who show up when it matters the most. From childhood confidants to choose work-family and cousins, the day encourages you to acknowledge those bonds that are close to your heart.

Friendship Day 2025 falls on Sunday, August 3. Every year it is celebrated on the first Sunday of August, making it a convenient weekend occasion to reconnect or plan something meaningful. While many believe Friendship Day to be a millennial invention popularised by greeting card companies and pop culture, the roots are official.

The concept was first proposed in 1930 by Joyce Hall, founder of Hallmark Cards. Later, in 2011, the United Nations officially recognised July 30 as International Friendship Day, aiming to inspire peace and build bridges between communities. But many countries, including India, mark it on the first Sunday of August.

Also read | Friendship Day 2025: The (mostly) pointless seduction of nostalgia

Date and significance

Friendship Day serves as a timely reminder to unplug and nurture the relationships that often become lifelines during life’s most chaotic phases. With hybrid work setups and increasingly isolated social lives, having even one friend to vent to, grow with, or laugh uncontrollably alongside is nothing short of therapy. So gear up to mark the day with fun, frolic, friendship and of course some gifts.

4 creative gift ideas for your Friendship Day

• A voice note journal: Record voice messages reminiscing your best memories or inside jokes and send it to your friends as a playlist or WhatsApp compilation. It’s intimate hilarious and impossible to fake.

• Friendship video: Compile old clips, candid photos, unforgettable moments from  trips or celebrations. Add a favourite song as a sound track and sprinkle in studio Ghibili- style animations and illustrations to make it cinematic.

• Personalised podcast episode: Use free platforms like Spotify’s anchor to record a mini podcast episode dedicated to your friend, featuring mutual stories, their quirks, and maybe even a guest cameo from someone unexpected.

• A kindness chain letter: Start a digital chain letter celebrating your friend’s best traits and send it to 5 other people who know them. Ask each person to add one compliment. You’ll be surprised how powerful the words of others can be.