Gift Registries in India

The most joyous part of getting married (apart from deciding to spend the rest of your life with the one you love, of course) is that others celebrate your joy, your love. And what’s a celebration without gifts? Giving and happily taking gifts is an age-old concept in India; in fact showing up at someone else’s festive occasion without a gift-wrapped present is considered totally tacky.

How many times have you been stuck with a not-so-flattering gift? With hundreds of people coming to your wedding, each one will give you a gift, depending on “their” taste and budget (unfortunately, not yours); and more often than not, it will leave that “what were they thinking” expression on your face. Since a handful of cash is considered an impolite gift by many, the next best option is a gift registry.

In the West, every occasion under the sun calls for a visit to the registered shop. Everything from bar and bat mitzvah to weddings to housewarming parties to baby showers; the hosts know exactly what they want from you; thus not giving you a chance to get confused and give them something distasteful. Gift registries in India, though a fairly new concept, are fast gaining popularity. Gift registry is the most subtle way of saying – here is my wish list, take your pick. In India, some people may consider the idea of demanding gifts rather rude, till when they realize that it can save them from the trouble of duplicate gifts and from ending up with things they don’t need, or for that matter, don’t even like.

The changing trends in the new emerging India are seeing lots of newly married couples buying their own condo and trying to make it on their own. A gift registry, especially for such couples can be like a blessing in disguise. A new home, a new bride and lots of new bills; it can take a toll on the spiritual harmony of any stable and calm being. When you opt to live on your own post marriage, you need to be armed with every small thing required for a new home. And then if you are stuck with four photo frames, three hand blenders and two dinner sets, you can’t help but feel the need to pull your hair out. A systematic gift registry can rescue you before you find yourself in a ditch of bills too deep.

PS: You can either choose to do your registry online or by physically going to a one-stop-shop, where you can find all the gifts you want under one roof! SIGH; if only Barney’s had a store in India…