The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word DONATES
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
D
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N
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More clues leading to the result DONATES
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "gifts" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case gifts = donates.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DONATES mean?
DONATES verb- To make a donation; to give away something of value to support or contribute towards a cause or for the benefit of another.