Gifts Can Be Created Rather Than Purchasing!!!

743rd BLOG POST -->>

            All of us remember those days when our relatives used to send us Greeting cards on festivals and personal occasions. Every time, Diwali used to arrive, postman used to deliver 10-15 post cards at home. It was a craze to open all of them and then staple all of them vertically so that we can hang it in our home. Even our parents on any occasion or festival used to purchase post cards and greeting cards in abundance to send it to almost everyone who they considered as a part of family. Those were the days when wishes and greetings had personal touch with them. Some of us have those greeting cards still in the boxes of our bed or in our loaf. But we have it still. Those are memories when we used to show love and affection for each other by sending wishes through such mediums.

            But then these MBA guys came in market and commercialized all the festivals as well as emotions. These Gift Shops, Archies Gallery and other nautankis have robotized us. These days, even when friends have fight with each other, they send a ""Sorry" card. And this particular Greeting Card already has all the emotions inscribed in it through a poetry or paraphrase form. Annoying! There's even Thank You cards available. The biggest irony over all this is that these cards cost no less than 50 bucks. But the problem with our generation is that we think 50 rs is as less as that 1 rs coin that we hand over to the beggar. I don't know when would my generation realize that it's our father's money. Maana baap apna hi hai par iska matlab ye thode hi hai ki baap ki hi khaal udhad doge. Huh! Whatever, then SMSes, Chats and Emails made things more machinery. Now, it seems as if we talk with each other in binary language than in human language. And I completely hate this era of computers. Now that's a different thing that my blog has no meaning if there would be no computer and mobile. :-) 

            These days when we go to our friends' birthday, we purchase something from market and hand over to him/her by wrapping the object in gift paper. Now, what's special in this? The amount of money that you spend? Because the gift that you have given is manufactured by some company and packed by a Gift shop's salesperson. You have just acted as a customer to that company and gift shop. Isn't it? Why not give a personal touch to your friends or close ones during special occasions? I remember my friend- Pranjali made a phone book directory by cutting out the printing pages of Computer in a designed way, made a space where we can clip a pen and gifted it to my mummy. We had it with us for many years but lost it during a shifting process. But we still remember it some times. A friend on Twitter- Vickas Tomar sends me poem every time he comes to know that I am celebrating my birthday or a Century blog post. That has a personal touch in it. No money included. But yet I feel that poem priceless while all the other gifts get judged by cost estimation. 

            I remember the days when I used to write a blog post as a dedication to those friends who used to celebrate their respective birthday on the very day. When they used to read it, they used to thank me innumerable times. And even after months of their birthday, they used to thank me for the post again and again. But since I have started gifting them something that's bought from the market, I never get compliment for the gift that I give. Though what I give is the best that I can give- Books and Novels. :-) I remember the expression of all the people whom I have presented a poem written by myself. For them, that is something which will always remain with them even if I'll die. But the gift that I would be giving them will one day get replaced by some other gift that will be more attractive than mine. My mother is respected by all the parents whom she gifted hand-made sweaters so that their babies can wear them in winters or when they suffer with cold-cough at the time of their birth. Wow!!! :-) 

            I, sometimes, fear that my friends might give me medicines as gift after reading such kind of a post as they know that it will create the most connected personal touch as I need it most in my life. Haha! I hope they are not going to do this. :-) I remember those days when I used to do letterbaazi with my cousin- in 2007 and 2008. It used to be such a lovely experience. Though we used to chat daily on Gmail, SMSes and all but still we maintained the periodicity of writing letter to each other. I still have all the letters sent by her. Though, I have kept them in a closure as the relationship is no more in existence. Life, sometimes, gets too unpredictable and strict. But the personal touch that the letters have in them can make me go back in those days of our letterbaazi immediately. This is what personalized gifts generate. To my friends of this generation, I want to ask all of you to stop visiting malls and markets to buy an expensive gift for your best friend. Rather than that, see various videos on Youtube and Google which will let you know how to create something with your own hands. Gift that to your friend. Remember my words- your friend will love it more than the Mercedes, if his/her father would be gifting it to him/her. :-) Don't you agree? No? _____ OFF!!!

 Bye :-)

 Thanks.

 ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU