BENCH

Just Because: Gifts With No Occasion

No birthday, no simcha, no reason — send someone in Israel flowers, dessert or a meal simply because you were thinking of them.

About Just Because: Gifts With No Occasion

A gift with no occasion attached carries more than one with a date on it, because the recipient cannot explain it away as an obligation. It is what people send to a friend having a bad month, a sibling who has gone quiet, a parent who never asks for anything, or a family whose news they only heard second hand.

There is no right thing to send, which is the point — flowers, a dessert, a breakfast box, a Friday meal all work. What matters is the card, so write it properly rather than leaving it to a default. Choose the delivery date at checkout, and if you do not know their kitchen well, each store's kashrut is on its page.

What people usually send

  • Flowers with a card, sent on an ordinary Tuesday
  • A dessert or chocolate box
  • A breakfast box for someone who is not eating properly
  • A Shabbos meal for a friend having a hard month