Stardew Valley NPC Birthdays — Full Schedule & Gift Tips
Complete NPC birthday schedule by season. Easy-to-find loved gift suggestions for every character and tips to maximize friendship on their special day.
Giving a gift on a birthday earns 8x friendship compared to normal days. A loved gift on their birthday = 250 friendship points — equivalent to giving a loved gift 8 days in a row. If you're trying to romance someone or befriend the whole town, this is the most efficient method in the game.
Quick Summary: Why Birthdays Matter
- 8x multiplier: A loved gift on a birthday = 250 friendship (normally just 80).
- Once per year: Miss it and you wait 12 months. Mark your calendar.
- No expensive gifts needed: Many NPCs love cheap or free items like Leek and Dandelion.
- Stackable with festivals: Some birthdays land on festival days — you can still give gifts normally.
Spring Birthdays
| NPC | Day | Easy Loved Gift |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | 4 | Roasted Hazelnuts (buy or cook) |
| Elliott | 5 | Crab Cakes, Pomegranate |
| Jas | 10 | Pink Cake, Fairy Rose |
| Gus | 13 | Diamond, Escargot (snail) |
| Maru | 15 | Cauliflower, Strawberry |
| Alex | 17 | Complete Breakfast (cook), Salmon Dinner |
| Sam | 22 | Pizza, Cactus Fruit |
| Demetrius | 24 | Strawberry, Mango Sticky Rice |
| Dwarf | 26 | Amethyst, Emerald, Ruby... (any gem) |
Spring has a lot of birthdays. Pro tip: stock up on Pink Cake (buy from Pierre or craft it) since multiple NPCs love it. Dwarf is the easiest — just give him any gem, the mines are full of them.
Summer Birthdays
| NPC | Day | Easy Loved Gift |
|---|---|---|
| Jodi | 1 | Chocolate Cake, Diamond |
| Kent | 4 | Roasted Hazelnuts |
| Penny | 2 | Emerald, Melon, Poppy |
| Sebastian | 10 | Sashimi, Void Egg |
| Emily | 27 | Cloth, Wool, Amethyst |
| Haley | 14 | Coconut, Fruit Salad, Sunflower |
| Lewis | 7 | Autumn's Bounty, Vegetable Medley |
| Caroline | 25 | Fish Taco, Summer Spangle, Tea Leaves |
| Harvey | 14 | Coffee, Pickles, Super Meal |
| Shane | 20 | Beer, Hot Pepper, Pizza |
Shane's birthday is Summer Day 20 — give him Beer (buy from Saloon for 250g) for the easiest friendship boost. Emily is easy too — give her Cloth (craft from Wool). Summer has many birthdays overlapping with Luau (Day 11), but you can still give gifts normally.
Fall Birthdays
| NPC | Day | Easy Loved Gift |
|---|---|---|
| Evelyn | 20 | Beet, Chocolate Cake, Diamond, Fairy Rose |
| Pam | 17 | Cactus Fruit, Diamond, Mead |
| Penny | 2 | Emerald, Melon, Poppy |
| George | 24 | Leek (forage in Spring, but can still find some) |
| Jas | 10 | Pink Cake, Fairy Rose |
| Abigail | 13 | Chocolate Cake, Amethyst, Blackberry Cobbler |
| Sandy | 19 | Crocus, Dandelion, Sweet Pea (forage in Winter/Spring) |
| Marnie | 23 | Diamond, Farmer's Lunch, Pink Cake |
Abigail's birthday is Fall Day 13 — Chocolate Cake is your best bet if you have one. Sandy is tricky since she lives in the desert, but the easiest gift is Dandelion (forage in Spring).
Winter Birthdays
| NPC | Day | Easy Loved Gift |
|---|---|---|
| Linus | 3 | Cactus Fruit, Coconut, Yam, Wild Horseradish |
| Caroline | 25 | Fish Taco, Summer Spangle |
| Krobus | 1 | Diamond, Iridium Bar, Pumpkin, Void Mayonnaise |
| Leo | 26 | Duck Feather, Mango, Ostrich Egg |
| Vincent | 10 | Cranberry Candy, Grape, Pink Cake |
| Wizard | 17 | Purple Mushroom, Solar Essence, Void Essence |
| Gus | 23 | Diamond, Escargot, Orange |
Krobus's birthday is Winter Day 1 — if you're already friends with him, give Pumpkin for the easiest option. Leo is a bit special since he lives on Ginger Island, but Duck Feather (from ducks) works fine.
Birthday Optimization Tips
- Stock up on universal gifts: Pink Cake, Chocolate Cake, and Fruit Salad are loved by many NPCs. Craft 2-3 of each per season.
- Gems are your "universal" gift: Diamond is loved by almost every NPC (with few exceptions). When in doubt, give a Diamond.
- Don't forget the "hard" NPCs: Krobus, Dwarf, Leo, Sandy — they're easy to forget since they live far away. Set a reminder.
- Stack with festivals: If a birthday falls on a festival day, you can still give a gift. Just approach the NPC and right-click.
- Give Bouquet before birthday gifts: If you're at 8 hearts, buy a Bouquet first to reach 10 hearts. Birthday gifts at 10 hearts give even more friendship.
Related on StardewHub
- NPC Gift Guide — Full loved/liked gift table for every character.
- Best Spouse Guide — Pick your partner and the fastest way to their heart.
- Daily Planner — View birthday and festival schedule by season.
Personally I always keep about 5-10 Diamonds and a few Pink Cakes stocked each season. That way I never stress about birthday gifts, and I can boost friendship with the whole town without thinking twice.
Updated for v1.6.