Gifting Culture in Iidia
Gifts are the ideal way to express mutual love and affection with each other in the busy society of today. They form the basis of mutual trust and bonding that people share with one another. I'm sure that as a child, you still remember your first gift - perhaps a toy from your parents, or your near and dear ones. It is not difficult to imagine how you must have clung to that gift with joy and delight. It is also possible that you shared the gift and your feelings of happiness with your siblings and friends alike.
The idea of presenting gifts in India is also well established since ancient times. Ancient Indians gifted grain, cattle, fabric, pottery and even gold and silver ornaments to their peers and loved ones. The custom of giving gifts is as popular in modern India as it is the world over.
Gifts are not usually given in a business context. Gifts are appropriate, however, if you are invited to visit an Indian at his/her home.
Appropriate Gifts:
• Candy or sweets
• Fruit
• Items symbolic of your home
• Quality wine, whisky, or other alcoholic beverages (as long as you are sure that your host drinks alcohol)
• Flowers (with the exclusion of frangipani, which are for funerals)
• Toys for children
• Perfume for women, Men of the household
• Gifts wrapped in colours that are considered auspicious such as green, red or yellow.
Popular Occasion and Festivals for Gifting in India.
India's innumerable festivals, traditions and diverse cultures form the perfect occasion for mutually exchanging gifts. People exchange gifts on festivals and events like Diwali, New Year, Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Eid, Father's day, Mother's day, Valentine's day and Dussera.
Exchanging gifts is not limited to social events alone. It is also popular in corporate and business circles to promote the company and increase brand awareness. Corporate gifts Items like pen holders, diaries, calendars, folders, mugs and other exquisite objects make an ideal gift for the modern business person.
For the perfect occasion, items like flowers, cakes, chocolates, cosmetics, handicraft items, dry fruits, fancy bags, perfumes, photo frames, roses, sarees, soft toys, sweets, and wall pictures are simply great. For many people, flowers are the perfect method of communicating their love, fondness and affection. Cakes and chocolates are more preferred by teenagers and the younger generation. Cosmetics and perfumes are usually chosen by the youthful people on the move. Other traditional minded people go in for conventional sweetmeats and mithais instead. Many people in society do not like to follow the norm, and go in for alternative gifts like those made from recycled material. Many people express their feelings with the help of greeting cards. It is not surprising that the greeting cards industry has grown in strength and dimension because of the popularity of sending cards to each other.