10 Unique Ideas to Make Rakhi Special for You and for Your Brother (Updated 2020)

Every year, the festival of Rakhi comes along reminding brothers and sisters of the special relationship they share. It is a time to pray for wellbeing and happiness of each other, and to celebrate the unique bond of siblings.

If you are looking for ideas to make Rakhi extra special this year, our tips can help you find the right one.

Make Something Handmade:
Handmade gifts are a class apart! They are a symbol of your affection - reflecting the time, effort and love poured by you into it. Even with flaws, handcrafted gifts are understandably treasured. Don’t worry if you are not crafty by nature. It’s easy today to find simple DIY (do it yourself) ideas thanks to online resources like YouTube videos.

Make it Personalised:
Rather than something off-the-shelf, a personalised gift shows the effort taken by you. There are a whole lot of options for customising a gift. Several online and offline stores offer services by which you can add a photo or a meaningful message to items like mugs. For a truly exceptional gift you can consider rakhi jewellery bearing his initials or name.

Spend Time Together:
The most precious gift to your brother is quality time together. As years pass by, we often lose ourselves in our hectic lives. So take time out on this festival and schedule a day of togetherness and fun with him. It will bring back warm memories and strengthen your bond even more

Looking to make Rakhi rocking this year? Do something unusual this year to make the day stand out for your brother and your family. We have put together several interesting ideas for making Rakhi special. Make your choice depending on your convenience and your brother's preferences.

In its original avatar, rakhis were silken or mauli threads signifying the sacred bond between the brother and the sister. While the sentiment remains the same, today there is no dearth of choice in innovative and creative rakhi concepts, so try something different this year.

Your brother will feel a special joy in flaunting a rakhi made by you. It is not very difficult to make one. All you need is a visit to the crafts store, your creativity and some time! Here is a simple rakhi you can make in no time; follow the steps below or watch this video.

One of the most exciting trends is of custom-made rakhi. It will be a unique thrill for your brother to wear a rakhi that has been made especially for him. Personalising rakhis can be done in different ways - pick whichever your brother will appreciate best.

Photo rakhi: Several websites can make you a custom rakhi featuring a photo of your brother. An example is the decorative rakhi available at excitinglives.com for Rs.299.

Engraved rakhi: You can get either a special message or your bro’s photo engraved on the rakhi. For example, giftsmate.net offers rakhis that have engraving on MDF wood starting at Rs. 299.

Custom designed gold rakhi: For a truly standout rakhi, you can get a one made of gold/gold plating bearing his initials or name. Try orosilber.com for a gold plated name plate at Rs.1,260. Pure gold initials cum pendant rakhi can be purchased at malabargoldanddiamonds.com at prices starting at Rs. 3,094.

Occupying a prime spot in the puja thali, sweets are an integral part of Raksha Bandhan celebrations. After the rakhi is tied, sisters do aarti to ward off evil and pray for the brother's prosperity and well-being. The ritual ends with the brother and the sister giving sweets to each other, an exchange to symbolize sharing of the happiness. Instead of sticking to regular sweets why not try something different this year?

A photo cake or a plate of cupcakes is an unusual choice that can be a lovely surprise for your brother.

Take the Rakhi celebrations to the next level with a photo cake having one of your favourite photos of him or you both. Available from bakingo.com at prices starting at Rs.1,050. Yet another delightful option is cupcakes. Yes, cupcakes are usually associated with birthday parties but they can be a lovely treat for Rakhi too. Order in your brother’s preferred flavours at a local bakery or sites like wishacupcake.com where prices start at Rs.1,100 for a set of 6 cupcakes.

Handmade sweets always add a special touch to festivals. If you are an experienced cook, take the opportunity to make your bro's favourite dish. If you are an inexperienced cook, try one of the simpler recipes like Besan Ladoo, which is also a highly popular sweet.

Gift hampers are a basketful of happiness when they come filled with your favourite things. This Rakhi delight your brother with a hamper filled with delicious goodies. There are endless options in gift hampers - flowers, cakes, sweets, dry fruits and other things, so can choose whatever fits best.

Fill your brother's heart with joy with a hamper filled with scrumptious treats. The An Affectionate Surprise
hamper from giftalove.com has a mind-blowing collection of exciting snacks and sweets packed into a beautiful basket. Available for Rs.1,080 it includes a savoury treat, a sweet box, two chocolate bars, along with a gorgeous designer rakhi, a cute idol of Lord Ganesha, and of course the essentials of roli and chawal.

Make your Bhaiya Bhabhi feel special with a Lumba rakhi gift pack. The Celebrations Chocolate With Lumba Rakhi Hamper for Rs.688 from archiesonline.com comes with a beautiful lumba rakhi set, plus a box of Cadbury Celebrations along with the mandatory roli chawal.

Gifts are an essential part of the rakhi rituals. Brothers and sister exchange gifts after the rituals to express their affection. Cash gifts, clothes, jewellery are all the norm but this year, impress your brother with a gift that is unforgettable .

A photo collage is a creative gift that'll beautifully capture some of the best memories and reflect the affection between you.

Short of time? You can buy a ready-made collage frame like the Handmade Collage frame available at giftsmate.net for Rs.899. You also make one from scratch but you'll need physical photos as well as cardboard, design paper and chart paper.

A humorous t-shirt that tickles your bro’s funny bone is an adorable gift idea. This Bhaiya Ho To Aise Mere Jaise T-Shirt from giftsmate.net is not only quirky but also shows your regard for him. Available for Rs.599, this t-shirt is made from premium quality cotton and has colour choices of black and white. You can also get a hoodie with the same message.

The Rakhi rituals, the puja, the prayers are over. Why not extend the fun? Celebrate Rakhi by organising something fun and exciting to make the day memorable!

How often do all your siblings, cousins and family friends get together? Weddings and family functions or certain festivals are the only times when this happens, and even then many cousins are missing from the gathering. And when you do get together it is such a blast for everyone, so why not do that on a festival that celebrates siblings?

On Rakhi throw a party for all siblings you know. Not just your own but invite your cousins and perhaps even your friends and their siblings. The party can be organised as a fun get-together at your house. Or you can make it into an exciting evening out with drinks and dinner.

Make the day all about you and your brother. Plan a simple outing for just the two of you for some quality time. It could be a trip to the mall, a movie, a picnic. It's a lovely way to really deepen the bond and make treasured memories. Have close friends that are almost family? Ask them to join you and spend a day out together.

The Rakhi puja thali has a special place in the festival. Sisters lovingly prepare a beautiful thali with all the essentials for doing the puja. Add a dash of colour and vibrancy by handcrafting an attractive puja thali.