Gift-rapt on Raksha Bandhan

[1]

If you thought that sweets and cash are still topping the list of Raksha Bandhan gifts, then it’s time to wake up to the changing times. While Raksha Bandhan symbolises the strong bond between brothers and sisters, an added fun factor of the day are the gifts exchanged by siblings.

Gone are days when sisters would settle for cash or chocolates in return for tying the sacred thread to their brothers, they now expect some “different” gifts. Plus, it has become a trend to gift ‘gifts’ to brothers rather than giving them sweets.
For a change, homemaker Pooja Dudeja, 32, is not going to take sweets for her brother. “We all are so bored of sweets and namkeens, so I have decided to gift my brother interesting bakes especially for Raksha Bandhan, something like edible thalis. Everything on the thali, including the base, is baked and edible,” says Pooja.
This year, siblings are gifting each other hobby classes. “I am gifting my brother guitar classes because I know he does not make time for his own hobbies. I have already approached the centre to enroll him,” says Nimisha Kapoor, a teacher.
The options are limitless — from membership to reading clubs to cookery classes, which brothers can gift their sisters too.
Experiential gifts can make an occasion special. Website DelightGifts is offering experiential gifts like one-day experience at golf course, cocktail-making lessons, dance classes, wine-tasting sessions, hilltop picnic for a couple etc.
“Giving cash or material gifts to your sibling is an age-old tradition but youngsters do not follow it now. They want to gift their sibling something they normally do not indulge in. This season, we are seeing commendable rise in the sale of spa and diner vouchers and brothers want their sisters to pamper themselves. Plus sisters too want their brother to dine at the place of their choice,” says Pooja Lall, director DelightGifts.
In the race of material gifts, cosmetic treatments like Botox and Juvederm too have become a popular choice. When Abhay, 27, sat down to decide on a gift for her sister, he wanted it to be useful. “I am gifting a botox treatment to my sister. She laughed at the idea initially, but I insisted and she agreed to go for it,” says Abhay Kocchar.
Meanwhile some things remain traditional, and that is the rakhi. A must on the occasion, sisters have already started hunting for the perfect thread for their brother. “No toons or silver or gold rakhi for us. I have decided to get my brother a floral rakhi this time. At least he would keep it tied through the day if he finds it cute,” says Aanchal Khanna, marketing professional.