Ever had a tough time selecting the right gift for the right occasion? Birthday party, anniversary, a religious event, the best way to go about it is by being innovative. It’s time to move from ideal showpieces and cute soft toys to something that is presentable and yet useful. With gift shops mushrooming in the City’s commercial areas and the variety of gifts popping up, selecting what you want has become even more difficult. Today, going big is not the best thing, it’s about how intelligent and creative you can be while picking up your gifts. Let’s see what the celebrities’ idea of a gift is.

Dr Devi Shetty says that the best gift he ever got was from his boss. “It was a needle holder,” he says. Shetty says he always gives people plates which has an inscribed quote from Mother Teresa.

While calenders and posters with motivational sayings and quotations are among the top 10, one can go for a bottle of wine with a bouquet for a formal occasion. For parties and festivals, gifts can be customised depending on the person’s taste or based on the occasion.

Fashion guru Prasad Bidapa says that he would go for a branded travel bag or a designer jeans, but the best gift he can think of is nothing other than a book.  “Books really change a child’s life. When I was small, my parents’ friend gifted me a dictionary and it was so useful. I recently gifted my friend a funny wise little book by Monica Dickens and she loved it. She said it made her laugh at life.”

Swimmer Nisha Millet thinks differently. “Memories count more than material gifts. Recently, my friend got married and we gifted her a collage with pictures of her childhood and a few pictures of her would-be husband. She loved it and treasures it. On my last birthday my fiance treated me to an entire day of massage and it was really de-stressing. That's the best gift I’ve ever received,” she smiles.

So the usual books, music, candles, perfumes, wine and chocolates are good for gifting, but this season, think innovative and gift wisely.