JOIN USThe joy of gifting
With the New year around the corner, the city is bustling with activity as people plan elaborate parties and events.
The shopping mode is on with people looking for innovative ideas to surprise their near and dear ones for the occasion. And what better way to bring in the season’s tidings than with colourful and vibrant tokens of love that bring a smile on faces.
Greeting cards have always been a classic option to express one’s feelings and wish people well for the year ahead. Despite the advent of electronic cards and online social media sites, many continue to buy cards for the season and this year is no different with innovative formats and styles becoming available in the market now.
Uma, who works in customer service at Sapna Book House, Gandhinagar, says, “With a myriad options to choose from, be it the pop-out cards to the big cards which are B5 or A4 size, there is something for everyone here.” Having themes like landscapes, cute teddy bears and flowers, these cards, ranging from Rs 15 to Rs 195, add a personal touch to the New Year celebrations.
“The popular ones are charity cards which come in a pack of 10. The plain ones are also being picked up by many, which have just ‘Season’s Greetings’ written inside them, which can be personalised,” she adds.
Sending out cards during the festive season has been a part of growing up, says Farhan, a young professional. “While WhatsApp messages and online text messages might be popular and convenient, the personal touch which greeting cards have are like none other. I bought a A4 size musical card for my best friend. It plays a melody and I can also record a message with it,” he adds.
Be it quirky or classy, the thought behind a gift can communicate a lot. This time, the new year can be heralded in style, says Shubhra Chadda, co-founder of ‘Chumbak’. “The ‘gold collection’ which came out recently, includes options like cushions, owl-themed products, lanterns, shot glasses, pear shaped jars and mason jars, with a hint of gold that adds an elite touch to a room,” she adds. Shubhra adds that the decorative bird cages and tealight holders are some other popular items of the season. “These add a unique character to any space,” says Shubhra.
Old-time favourite items that have been given a unique twist, like ‘cutting chai glasses’ and teacups that have memorable lines on them, are other top choices this season, says Nikhil Saxena, head of design with ‘Happily Unmarried’. “There are coffee mugs available on many online platforms but we came out with our unique tea glasses made in ceramic, which look like the typical Indian ‘cutting chai glass’. These as a set of four which are perfect for corporate gifting.”
“Another popular item for professionals is our ‘Very Brief Case’, which look like little briefcases but are actually cardholders,” he adds. For couples, the e-commerce site has a glass jar which has 52 chits in it that will include things/activities that the couple can do each weekend. “This is to help build their bond and makes a very personal statement too,” he adds.
Cute is in and playing on these lines are gifts from shops like ‘Varnam’, Indiranagar, where board games like Ludo, Chess, Tic Tac Toe and Snake and Ladders have been made with the embroidery craft of the Sitlingi Lambadis from Porgai Artisans Association and the lac-turnery craft of the Channapatna toy makers. Karthik Vaidyanathan, founder and principal designer, says, “Everyone is looking to give gifts which are unique, useful and will be remembered, all rolled into one. We also have note-holders called ‘Tunti Tuntas’, which are a set of traditional dolls that hold notes or have clips on them, that young professionals or anyone can use to pep their desk up.”