How to Send Gifts to Family in Ethiopia for Special Occasions
Living abroad does not have to mean missing the moments that matter back home. A birthday in Addis Ababa, a holiday table, a new baby in the family: with the right gift, delivered in person, your family feels you there even when you are an ocean away.
This guide walks through the special occasions Ethiopian families celebrate through the year, what is traditionally given for each one, and how to send it from wherever you live.
How sending a gift to Ethiopia works
You do not need a local address or someone on the ground to run errands for you.
- Browse the gifts on Taza Gifts from any country.
- Open the gift you like and tap Order on WhatsApp. The message is filled in for you with the gift's details.
- Tell us who it is for and where they live. Delivery is arranged with you on WhatsApp.
- Our team in Addis Ababa delivers the gift in person to your family's door.
You can add a personal note, so your family knows exactly who was thinking of them.
Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash)
Enkutatash falls on September 11 (September 12 in the year before a leap year) and marks the end of the rainy season. Families gather for a big meal, children bring flowers and drawings to their elders, and homes are full of visitors.
The classic gift is the feast itself. A holiday feast package puts a sheep or goat, chicken, eggs, onions and oil on the family table in one delivery. If you want to add something for the house, fresh flowers fit the season well.
Meskel
Meskel is celebrated on September 27, just over two weeks after the New Year, with the lighting of the Demera bonfire. It is another day when the whole family eats together, so food gifts are welcome again: a sheep, goat or chicken, or a ready-made dish such as doro wat.
Ethiopian Christmas (Genna) and Timkat
Genna is on January 7 and Timkat (Epiphany) follows on January 19. Both come after a long fast, so the meal that breaks it is the centre of the day.
Good choices for this season:
- A holiday feast or essentials package for the family meal
- A cake to share with visitors
- A religious gift, such as wall art for the home, for parents and grandparents who would treasure it
Easter (Fasika)
Fasika is the biggest feast of the Orthodox year. It ends a 55-day fast, and its date changes each year, so check the calendar early. Families break the fast with doro wat and lamb, and no one wants to be the house with an empty table.
Sending the sheep and chicken package is the most traditional way to take care of your family at Fasika. During the fasting weeks before it, fasting cakes and a fasting agelgil let you send something they can enjoy right away.
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha
For Muslim families, the two Eids are the heart of the year. The dates move with the lunar calendar. A goat or sheep is the traditional gift for Eid al-Adha, and for Eid al-Fitr sweets, cakes and flowers are all appreciated. You will also find Islamic gifts for the home in our religious collection.
A new baby (Aras)
When a woman gives birth, family and friends visit to honour the new mother, the aras, and help her recover. Traditionally visitors bring food and a sheep or goat to support the household.
Our Aras packages combine the traditional and the modern: a rose box for the mother, a teddy bear for the baby, a cake for visitors, and a sheep or goat for the home. It is one of the most meaningful gifts you can send when you cannot be there to visit yourself.
Birthdays and anniversaries
A birthday is the easiest occasion to send for and one of the most appreciated, because it is so personal. A birthday cake with a bouquet of red roses arriving at the door is a real surprise. For children, a big teddy bear or a box of chocolates from our kids collection does the job.
Mother's Day and Father's Day
For mothers, our Mother's Day packages pair flowers and cake with a handwoven scarf. For fathers, the Father's Day packages include a traditional gabi, which also makes a thoughtful gift on its own for any elder at any time of year. See the traditional Ethiopian gifts.
A few tips before you order
- Order early for holidays. The days before Fasika, Genna and Enkutatash are the busiest of the year.
- Have the details ready. The recipient's name, phone number and neighbourhood make delivery quick to arrange.
- Add a note. A few words in your own voice mean as much as the gift.
Send something home
Whatever the occasion, the point is the same: your family opens the door and knows you remembered. Browse all gifts or message us on WhatsApp and we will help you choose.