Stardew Valley Birthday Gifts Explained (2026): Dates and Best Gifts

Stardew Valley birthday gifts are a fast way to build a relationship: a normal-quality Loved gift on the villager’s exact birthday gives 640 friendship points, eight times the usual 80. A Liked gift gives 360 points, while disliked or hated items lose points at the same birthday multiplier. The calendar below lists every villager’s date, and the gift guide explains safe choices, exceptions, and the special value of Stardrop Tea.

Quick answer: check the Town Calendar, bring an item the villager Loves, and deliver it on the birthday. If you do not know their personal favorites, use a verified universal Loved gift and watch for the two exceptions: Haley hates Prismatic Shards, and Penny hates Rabbit’s Feet.

How the Stardew Valley birthday gift bonus works

Each villager has one birthday every in-game year. The gift reaction still determines whether the item is Loved, Liked, Neutral, Disliked, or Hated, but the birthday multiplies that reaction’s friendship-point effect by eight. These are the base values for normal-quality gifts before the Friendship 101 book bonus:

Item quality adds another bonus to positive reactions: silver, gold, and iridium quality multiply Loved or Liked gift points by 1.1, 1.25, and 1.5. That makes an iridium-quality Loved birthday gift worth 960 points before other bonuses. Reading the Friendship 101 book adds a further 10% to friendship gains. Quality does not improve Neutral gifts or reduce the penalty for a disliked or hated item, so choose the right reaction tier before worrying about star quality. See the friendship-point formulas and gift rules for the full calculation.

The birthday multiplier is for gifts, not a blanket bonus for every interaction. Talk to the villager as well if you have not spoken that day; conversation still counts toward your normal daily friendship gain.

Every villager birthday in Stardew Valley

Pelican Town’s seasonal calendar contains 34 villager birthdays. The season has 28 days, and the date repeats each year. Use this Stardew Valley birthday list to plan gifts before the day arrives:

For the official in-game calendar layout and festivals that share a season, see the Stardew Valley calendar reference.

How to check birthdays and gift preferences

1. Check the Town Calendar. The board outside Pierre’s General Store shows birthdays and festivals for the current season. You can also buy a calendar from Robin for your farmhouse, or access one through the Furniture Catalogue.
2. Use the Social tab to track progress. Select a villager’s row to open their Gift Log. It records gifts you have given and preferences you have learned from play, Secret Notes, or dialogue; it is not a complete list of every item that character likes.
3. Plan around the villager’s schedule. Residents move around town and some are harder to catch at certain hours. Check their routine and leave enough time to reach them before they go to bed. If the birthday falls during a festival, check the calendar and the villager’s festival location.

The daily TV forecast is not a birthday alert, so do not rely on it to identify who has a birthday. If you need an exact gift match, use a full character gift list and check that the entry reflects your game version. The complete villager gift table is a convenient reference.

Best birthday gifts: universal favorites and exceptions

Several items are Loved by nearly every villager, which makes them useful when a birthday sneaks up on you. Common universal Loves include the Golden Pumpkin, Magic Rock Candy, and Pearl. A Prismatic Shard is Loved by everyone except Haley, who hates it. A Rabbit’s Foot is Loved by everyone except Penny, who hates it. Check the exception before handing over either item; the birthday multiplier makes a bad reaction more costly.

When you know the villager, a personal Loved gift is just as strong and can be easier to spare. Examples include:

These are examples, not the full preference lists. Some Loved items are seasonal, crafted, or valuable for another purpose, so the best choice is the item you can spare that the recipient actually Loves. If you are unsure, a verified universal option such as a Pearl is safer than guessing with a random crop, flower, or mineral.

Stardrop Tea is a special birthday gift

Stardrop Tea is an unusually strong gift: it gives 250 friendship points normally and 750 points when given on a birthday. It does not use the daily or weekly gift limit, and you can give it alongside a regular birthday present. If you have one, it can add a large boost without taking the place of the villager’s ordinary gift. The Stardrop Tea reference lists its special rules and sources; the item was added in the official Stardew Valley 1.6 changelog.

A simple plan for every birthday

• At the start of each season, check the Town Calendar and note the upcoming dates.
• Look up one Loved gift for each villager and set it aside in a chest or inventory slot.
• Favor items you can replace; do not spend a rare resource just for the bonus if a cheaper Loved option is available.
• On the birthday, find the villager, give the standard gift, and talk to them if you have not already.
• Use a Stardrop Tea as an extra if you have one, and remember that Prismatic Shards and Rabbit’s Feet have specific exceptions.

A birthday gift can still be given after you have used the usual two gifts for that villager during the week, so you do not have to save a weekly slot in advance. The birthday does not move: a gift the day before or after receives the normal reaction instead of the ×8 birthday multiplier.

Frequently asked questions

How many friendship points does a Loved birthday gift give?

A normal-quality Loved gift gives 640 points on the birthday. Silver, gold, or iridium quality raises positive gift points; an iridium-quality Loved gift gives 960 before the Friendship 101 bonus.

Does a birthday gift count toward the two-gift weekly limit?

No. You can give the villager a birthday gift even if you have already given two gifts that week. Stardrop Tea has a separate exception and does not count toward daily or weekly limits.

Can I give two gifts on a villager’s birthday?

You can give one standard gift, and Stardrop Tea can be given in addition to it. Stardrop Tea is also unusual because multiple teas can be given to the same villager on the same day.

What if I miss a birthday?

There is no make-up date for the ×8 bonus. Keep building friendship with conversations and Loved gifts during the rest of the year; the missed birthday does not block future heart events or later birthdays.

Does talking to a villager on their birthday give a separate bonus?

Talking still counts as the normal daily conversation and can add friendship, but the eightfold birthday multiplier applies to the gift reaction. The special birthday greeting is dialogue, not an extra birthday gift bonus.

Sources and full gift lists

For exact mechanics and complete character-by-character preferences, consult the Friendship page, Calendar page, and List of All Gifts. The wiki pages are community-maintained and can be updated as game versions change.