Somewhere around the middle of December the list appears: parents, the boss, the neighbour who signed for every parcel, the friend you see once a year at the same New Year table. A good New Year gift is one that gets opened on the night itself or kept long after the tree is gone. This guide covers both.
How Armenia celebrates the New Year
In Armenia the big night is 31 December, Nor Tari (Նոր Տարի). The table is set long before midnight: tolma, a baked leg of pork, gata, plates of walnuts and dried fruit, and anushabur, the sweet wheat pudding with apricots and raisins. After midnight the visiting begins. For the first days of January people go from home to home, to parents, grandparents, godparents and friends, and nobody arrives empty-handed. Armenian Christmas follows on 6 January, so the season runs for almost a week. How Armenians celebrate Christmas
That rhythm says a lot about a good gift. It is carried through the door, set on someone else's table and shared, often that same evening.
Ideas that work
- Something for the table. A box of good dried fruit and nuts, a jar of honey, a homemade gata. In the first week of January it disappears quickly and nobody minds.
- Something for the home. Candles, a good tablecloth, a print of a place the family loves. It stays after the holidays.
- Time instead of things. A dinner out, a concert, a day trip together. For parents this is often the gift they talk about longest.
- A bottle for midnight or for the visits. Something to open at the table on the 31st or to bring to the elders on the 1st.
- A small thing for everyone. When there are many people to visit, ten small gifts usually work better than one large one.
A bottle with a piece of stone
Armenian brandy is a natural New Year gift because it fits the visits: one glass with the host, a toast to the year ahead, and the rest of the bottle stays for the next evening. It also keeps. An opened bottle of brandy, stored upright and closed, is fine for months. How long brandy lasts
Every TUFF bottle is closed with a cap cut by hand from Armenian volcanic tuff, the stone much of Yerevan is built from. On a New Year table it is the thing guests pick up and turn in their hands. After the bottle is finished, the cap stays on a desk or a shelf. More about Armenian tuff
- TUFF XO, aged 20 years in Caucasian oak, comes in a gift box that is easy to carry from one home to the next. TUFF XO in a gift box
- TUFF XO 50 ml is the same brandy in a small bottle with its own tuff cap. It suits the long list: colleagues, neighbours, a place card at the table.
- TUFF Heritage, aged 30 years, is for the one person the year was really about: parents, a mentor, a partner. Its cap is carved after the reliefs of Ani. TUFF XO or Heritage
A name, a date or a line such as "2027" can be engraved on the glass, even on a single bottle. Try the words in the engraving studio and see how they sit on the bottle. Engraving and delivery take time, so the safest moment to order for New Year is the first half of December. Delivery options are on the delivery page.
Gifts for colleagues and partners
At the end of the year many companies thank clients and teams. A bottle with the company name or a short line engraved on it is remembered longer than a branded diary. For larger orders, packaging and delivery to several addresses, see corporate gifts. For one bottle for one manager, see a gift for the boss.
When brandy is the wrong choice
Some people do not drink, for reasons of health, faith or simple preference, and some homes will have children running around the table all night. If you are not sure, bring something for the table or for the home. A gift that fits the person matters more than the price. More ideas in our guide to brandy as a gift.
Questions and answers
What is a good New Year gift for parents?
Something that brings the family together: a dinner, a trip, a framed photograph, or a bottle to open with them on the night. A bottle with their names and the year engraved on it is kept long after it is empty.
Is brandy a good New Year gift?
Yes, if the person enjoys it. Brandy is opened slowly, one glass at a time, so it suits the long visits of the first days of January. Choose a bottle in a gift box so it is easy to carry and to put away.
When should I order a New Year gift with engraving?
As early as you can, ideally in the first half of December. Engraving and delivery both take time, and the last days of the year are the busiest.
What do Armenians bring when they visit at New Year?
Usually something for the table: sweets, fruit, a bottle, a homemade gata. Visiting family and friends in the first days of January is a central part of the holiday, and nobody comes empty-handed.
Armenian brandy as a gift · Armenian Christmas · How to drink Armenian brandy
