The art of giving and receiving
Choosing the right gift is an art form of sorts. A quality which I totally lack. So every time a birthday, a wedding, an anniversary, showers of general sorts or festivities crop up it is a major turmoil in my life. Relentless at being selective I try in vain and fail miserabley. In earlier days it was very easy in India especially in Bengal. One did not have many options apart from jewelery and clothes.
But as the Bengal renaissance happened things started getting complex. People wanted to be individualistic or modern so items such as books and paintings started making their inroads into the "giftdom". In post modern scenario in 2007 it has taken all kinds of flights. One could even gift a paid holiday or a time share to the newly weds.
With booming shining malls everywhere the glitz always beckons you to pick something original. So they scream at you from every possible showroom window saying "pick me, pick me". Vastu shastra defined our architectural bearings but now we have Feng shue, which primarily brings wellness and prosperity to homes.
Well here was every invitees Pandora's box. You had a wide range of options to choose from, wind chimes, the frog with a coin stuck in his mouth, the tiny bamboo plant in a bowl, the laughing Buddha in his various striking positions and the dramatic and cool fishbowl!
So my friend gets one for her birthday and then is completely clueless as the first fish plans his harakiri the same day, and she was completely mortified when the second one too called it quits. Don't know if the status on prosperity was improved in the short span of 5 days or not but it surely has pushed her a few step backwards in adopting a pet ever I am sure.
I also received one fascinating piece of hair straightening equipment from my best friend on my birthday when she very well could see I had little on my head that I could use it. So now she is trying to find the equipment a suitable home. I think it is the sheer performance pressure that makes us buy completely illogical and unmanageable stuff. The intent is always good but the ultimate result lands a lot of people in soup.
For me one mantra works the best, whenever in doubt go for flowers, books and cake. That combination will somewhere strike a chord for sure. Happy hunting!
But as the Bengal renaissance happened things started getting complex. People wanted to be individualistic or modern so items such as books and paintings started making their inroads into the "giftdom". In post modern scenario in 2007 it has taken all kinds of flights. One could even gift a paid holiday or a time share to the newly weds.
With booming shining malls everywhere the glitz always beckons you to pick something original. So they scream at you from every possible showroom window saying "pick me, pick me". Vastu shastra defined our architectural bearings but now we have Feng shue, which primarily brings wellness and prosperity to homes.
Well here was every invitees Pandora's box. You had a wide range of options to choose from, wind chimes, the frog with a coin stuck in his mouth, the tiny bamboo plant in a bowl, the laughing Buddha in his various striking positions and the dramatic and cool fishbowl!
So my friend gets one for her birthday and then is completely clueless as the first fish plans his harakiri the same day, and she was completely mortified when the second one too called it quits. Don't know if the status on prosperity was improved in the short span of 5 days or not but it surely has pushed her a few step backwards in adopting a pet ever I am sure.
I also received one fascinating piece of hair straightening equipment from my best friend on my birthday when she very well could see I had little on my head that I could use it. So now she is trying to find the equipment a suitable home. I think it is the sheer performance pressure that makes us buy completely illogical and unmanageable stuff. The intent is always good but the ultimate result lands a lot of people in soup.
For me one mantra works the best, whenever in doubt go for flowers, books and cake. That combination will somewhere strike a chord for sure. Happy hunting!
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