Onam Gift Ideas for a Baby 2026 — The Modern Onakkodi Guide
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Key takeaways
- Onakkodi is the Kerala tradition of gifting new clothes at Onam, presented on Thiruvonam day.
- Babies and young children traditionally receive chittada — a small dress or little mundu — while adults receive kasavu mundu and saree.
- Modern, practical clothing is now widely accepted as onakkodi, and for a baby it is usually the more useful gift.
- Onam 2026: Atham begins Sunday 16 August; Thiruvonam falls Wednesday 26 August.
- When gifting to someone else's baby, size up — 3–6M or 6–12M is safer than 0–3M.
Somewhere in most Malayali families there is a person who quietly keeps track of who has been given onakkodi and who has been missed. If there is a new baby in the family this year, that person has already thought about it. This guide is for everyone else — the aunt, the colleague, the friend who wants to get it right and is not entirely sure what "right" means for someone who is four months old.
What is onakkodi?
Onakkodi is the Kerala tradition of gifting new clothes to family and loved ones during Onam. The word joins ona (Onam) and kodi (new cloth). It is usually given on Thiruvonam day, and the custom flows downward through the family — elders give onakkodi to younger members.
The practice is old. It was recorded among the people of the erstwhile Travancore centuries ago, and in south Kerala especially it remains normal to give onakkodi to close relatives. Wearing something new to welcome Mahabali is part of the point; the giving is treated as seriously as laying the pookkalam.
What is chittada — the onakkodi for a baby?
Chittada refers to the small dress, sometimes a little mundu, traditionally presented to infants and young children as their onakkodi. Adults in the family receive kasavu mundu and kasavu saree — the hand-woven cream cloth with gold brocade that most people picture when they think of Onam. Children get their own scaled-down version.
It is a small distinction, but a nice one: the baby is not left out of the ritual. They receive their own new cloth, appropriate to their size.
Can you give modern clothes as onakkodi?
Yes. Kasavu remains the traditional choice and always will be. But families increasingly give modern, everyday clothing as onakkodi, for reasons of convenience and utility, and nobody thinks less of it.
For a baby this is often the better decision, and it is worth being honest about why. A kasavu set for a four-month-old is worn for roughly the length of a photo session. The gold-thread border is stiff against new skin, late August in Kerala is warm and humid, and the outfit is outgrown before the next festival. A set of soft muslin jablas gets worn for months after the sadya is cleared away.
If the family wants the traditional photograph — and most do — the graceful answer is both. Something traditional for the photos, something soft for the rest of the day.
Onam gift ideas for a newborn (0–6 months)
- A ready-to-gift muslin set. The practical default. Muslin is loosely woven cotton, so air moves through it rather than sitting trapped against the skin — which matters in Kerala's August humidity more than at any other time of year.
- Muslin jablas. The side-tie top most Indian babies live in for the first year. Easy to change, easy to wash, no buttons near the skin.
- Swaddles. Genuinely used every day, and they double as a nursing cover, pram shade or burp cloth.
- Muslin nappies or langots. Unglamorous and quietly the most appreciated gift a new parent receives.
- A gift card, if you would rather the parents choose the print themselves.
Onam gift ideas for a baby (6–24 months)
- Muslin frocks or co-ord sets — light enough for a warm day, soft enough to sleep in afterwards.
- A larger size than you think. By this age babies grow in visible jumps.
- A jabla-and-shorts set for a baby who has started crawling.
- Something for the day after. Festivals are hard on clothes. A second set is never wasted.
Onam baby gifts by budget
| Budget | What works | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Under ₹500 | Individual muslin jablas from ₹199, or a gift card from ₹500 | A real onakkodi without overspending — the traditional gift was never about expense |
| ₹1,200–2,000 | Ready-to-gift muslin boxes (6, 10 or 11-piece) | The most popular range; arrives boxed, nothing to assemble |
| ₹2,500–4,000 | 16-piece and 20-piece gift boxes | Suited to a first grandchild or a joint family gift |
| ₹5,000+ | 25 to 44-piece welcome bundles | Covers a newborn's first six months |
Browse Zizuka's baby gift sets →
What size should you buy for someone else's baby?
When in doubt, size up. This is the question people are most anxious about and it has a straightforward answer.
A newborn moves out of 0–3M within a few weeks. Unless the baby is under a month old right now, 3–6M or 6–12M is the safer choice — they grow into it rather than out of it, and the gift lasts. If you know the baby's age but not their build, our baby clothing size chart by age maps 0 to 24 months.
One more thing nobody mentions: if the baby is between sizes, buy the larger one and say so when you hand it over. Parents would far rather store something for two months than return it.
When is Onam 2026, and when should you order?
Onam 2026 begins with Atham on Sunday 16 August and concludes with Thiruvonam on Wednesday 26 August.
Onakkodi is traditionally presented on Thiruvonam. Working backwards for delivery across India, order by around 18 August to be comfortably ahead — earlier if you are shipping outside Kerala or to a smaller town. Gifts intended to be handed over in person during the ten days should be with you by the weekend of 15–16 August.
If you are in Trivandrum, you are welcome to come and choose in person — our Kowdiar store details are here.
A note on getting it right
The thing about onakkodi is that the gesture carries most of the weight. It is not a competition of expense. A ₹199 jabla given to the right baby at the right moment is a complete onakkodi. The tradition survived centuries on exactly that understanding, and it has not changed because there is now an online store involved.
Zizuka is an Indian baby clothing brand making muslin essentials in Kerala, for Kerala's weather. If it helps, our guide to the best fabric for a newborn explains why we keep coming back to muslin.
Happy Onam from all of us.
Frequently asked questions
What is onakkodi?
Onakkodi is the Kerala tradition of gifting new clothes during Onam. The word comes from ona (Onam) and kodi (new cloth). It is usually presented on Thiruvonam day, and elders traditionally give it to younger members of the family.
What do you gift a newborn baby for Onam?
Soft cotton or muslin baby clothes are the most practical Onam gift for a newborn, following the onakkodi tradition. Ready-to-gift muslin boxes work well, and individual jablas from ₹199 make a good smaller gift.
Can you give modern clothes as onakkodi instead of a mundu?
Yes. While kasavu mundu and saree remain traditional, many families now give modern clothing as onakkodi for convenience and everyday utility. For a baby, practical clothes are often the more useful gift.
What size clothes should I buy for someone else's baby?
Size up. Babies outgrow newborn sizes quickly, so 3–6M or 6–12M is generally safer than 0–3M unless the baby is under a month old.
When is Onam 2026?
Onam 2026 begins with Atham on Sunday 16 August and concludes with Thiruvonam on Wednesday 26 August 2026.
