Be inventive this festive season and explore beyond the usual diyas and candles this Diwali. From beauty care products to cuff links and lights, the options are aplenty. By Team Viva
Diwali as we know it is the best thanksgiving ritual there is as we gift each other tokens of love and appreciation and acknowledge the unsaid, the value and impact each one of us has on each other. In that sense, there’s a sweetness of being, encased in mithai boxes, or the wish of good fortune, from silver coins to panchdhaatu divinities. In a tribute to nature, there are dry fruits. That meaningful gesture has now enveloped every aspect of our home as each item finds its own shelf life of remembrance. So there are different brews of coffee, home-made bakes, hand-crafted buttons or organic grains and cereals, even plants and recycled fashion. Luxury is not about display value but about embedding your own story and thoughts.
Wood products
We often buy wooden items for our household because of its longevity and beauty. Now, wooden kitchenware and other storage items are making into home improvement and gifting alike. Go out-of-the-box with these wooden boxes in ivory and wooden stands that are available at Fabuliv.com.
Munchies for mood
Keep your chips and cheeselings aside this festive and instead opt for Made in India traditional namkeens with Sattviko hampers that have flavoured makhanes, gur chana, khakhra chips, ajwaini flax seeds, which are also delight for those on a diet. If you’re not one to hold yourself back on the calories opt for gifting gourmet popcorn with 4700BC’s premium range available in irresistible caramel and chocolate based flavours.
Cow dung diyas
Once the cow stops milking, the farmers can’t afford to keep it anymore and the cows are sent to slaughter houses. To promote the farmers and poor cow owners from not selling the cow, this beautiful concept of cow dung diya is promoted this year by weCHANGE. It is a one time use diya since the cow dung burns out. It is an eco-friendly way to save the animal. A box of 24 is available for `71. weCHANGE can be contacted at 9869722423.
Ceramics
Use ceramics in novel designs like decorative bottles, temple jars in canary yellow or beer mugs to liven up your gifting game. The bottles are crafted from recycled glass. The temple jar was originally popular during the Qing dynasty to hold spices and has now become a great centrepiece. Style a console or coffee table with this Chinoiserie temple jar. German Steins are ornamental beer mugs that are decorated in a nostalgic manner, depicting intricately carved illustrations on the surface. These are perfect gifts for a cosmopolitan home. Available on Decorkart.com and Fabuliv.com
Beverages
Artisanal coffee has made plenty inroads into homes and cafes of India. Connoiseurs have taken upon themselves to buy expensive coffee machines to make the perfect brew. Gift a coffee lover what they love with a twist. Sleepy Owl has a range of coffees with cinnamon and a hint of chicory. Their dark roast has a bittersweet note which is a heavy mouthful with deeper darker flavours such as chocolatey, nutty and caramel. It has low acidity. These are priced at `500 per pack. You can also get an assortment with their light and dark roasts, signature brew and cinnamon flavoured brew for cold coffees.
Luxury on your shirt
Corneliani’s made in Italy cufflinks are confined in brass and comes in varied shapes like rectangle, oval and round. The ever revolving classic elegance has been personified with cufflinks with bars that adds an extra edge to a formal look while the collection of buttons from the House of Sunil Mehra is a mix of handmade and pure silver buttons used in Indian wear like Sherwanis, Bandhgalas etc. It is ideal option for men to transpire their simple look into a one that stands out, each piece of this exquisite collection is handmade by highly skilled craftsmen.
Beauty products
With companies catering to the Diwali season with gift boxes picking out one has become easier. If you want to give the gift of good skin to a loved one the Bodyshop and Arata. One of the boxes, Rescue kit tea tree, has a 3-in-1 wash, scrub, mask and the anti-imperfection daily solution. Both products combine a powerful blend of community trade tea tree oil while Arata has organic and zero cruelty products completely plant-sourced and non-GMO.