Festivities are in the air for Christmas is here! On the eve of Christmas, a bunch of merry bloggers have banded together to unwrap the spirit of the season. Join us as we spread some Christmas cheer in the blogosphere this year! A big thank you to Vijay Preetham Burton for passing the chain on to me.
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As I share what Christmas means to me through images and a few words, in the spirit of the season, I also have some surprises for you! Click on the imagesto unwrap your presents – little nuggets, some from deep within the archives, that I hope will help you bring these feelings into your life too!
Christmas isn’t a major festival here in India, and for most of us, the frenzied search for that perfect gift happens during Diwali. But I can’t pass up any excuse to demand a gift from the husband now, can I? 😉
Sometimes it gets difficult to find that perfect gift…something that is unique and beautiful…that will leave a lasting impression and bring constant pleasure.
Like a Wish tree, for example. Hindus believe that if you tie a sacred thread around the trunk of a banyan tree, your wish will come true. How about gifting a loved this pretty wish tree from RedEnvelope? It comes with 100 paper tags with a pink cherry blossom background tied with string. Just write your wish and hang it on the tree!
(Click on images to go to the product’s website.)
Women love jewelry, so how about surprising your special someone with this gorgeous Tree of life pendant from Uncommon Goods?
Or with a beautiful, one-of-a-kind Murano pendant from Glass of Venice?
Patagonia Gifts has an excellent range of Celtic cross jewelry, like these unique cuff links for men.
Do you want something to dress up your walls instead? Why not gift someone this pretty wall mounted aquarium?
Or how about getting your photographs converted into Warhol style paintings and displaying them on your wall? It takes a while, because the paintings are handcrafted, but it’s sure to make your walls pop!
There you have it, an assortment of unique gift ideas that are guaranteed to be a hit!
Diwali is the season for hosting card parties! It’s the one time during the year when almost everyone gambles – the amount of money you’re playing with doesn’t matter, it can be as little as Rs. 5, what matters is the spirit of the game.
We hosted our first card party last night, and it was a smashing success. Though I was hyperventilating at the thought of all that needed to be done and organized, I managed to get the living room clean and clutter-free in an hour, brought out candles and diyas, floated some flowers in an earthenware pot, and the house was set to welcome our friends.
The night passed by so quick as we played, laughed, talked, ate and made merry. Before we realized it, it was 3:00 am, and grudgingly, we decided that it was time to say goodbye.
Yesterday night, as I was squaring things up a bit post all the revelry, I realized that I love hosting parties and entertaining. It’s a warm feeling that you get when you have friends over, laughing and having a good time, and even better when you get Diwali gifts! 😉
I got this lovely Tibetan evil eye that doubles up as a door knocker:
and this rice husk wall hanging for prosperity and a brass diya that can be either displayed as a showpiece or used in the temple at home:
What do you enjoy most about hosting get togethers at home?
