In its special Diwali gifting series, The Mint focused on families giving away some unique Diwali gifts for friends and relatives. Anindita Ghose in an essay made mention of such off-beat gifting ideas. 

“What do you gift those who almost have everything they might need?” the writer asked, referring to the Sharmas - Jyotsana and Arjun – who decided to buy potted basil plants in lemon, camphor and tulsi varieties as Diwali gifts.

Their festive gifting plans reflect the austerity debate. But for them it’s more a practical option since the two increasingly find extravagant gifting a pointless exercise. Jyotsana testifies to the undesirable phenomenon of gift recycling. One gift she would though, never pass on is an orchid a friend gifted her. Nurturing it has become an engaging experience, which is why she chose to the green gifting idea.

She approached a local herb store to source their plants from a wide range of medicinal and exotic herbs. The couple opted for basil for its sociological ties with Indian tradition. In fact, the family has almost done away with the whole concept of gifting since the last couple of years. Instead it donates to charitable foundation.

Diwali is an occasion that prompts more donations, which would go to each family member’s chosen charity. Arjun supports Chintan, an NGO that is part of Project Arman. His mother, a doctor by profession, manages a charitable dispensary. Wife Jyotsana supports two animal shelters. A foundation named after Arjun’s father funds a hospital, temple and school in their native village. Every year, the dotting donors throw a party for the rag picking children after Diwali.

Instead of lavish gifting, the family tries to revive the tradition of get-togethers to strengthen the bonds of love. The message here is that, you can celebrate Diwali not just by splurging, but also by donating to charities, and going green. 

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As we have suggested in the previous blog, you can consider gym membership as an off-beat but highly effective gift for building a ‘healthy’ bond in every sense. We suggest a few options to choose from…

Gold’s Gym
Launched in Venice California almost four decades ago, it soon became the hub for the development of fitness training, equipment and balanced nutritional concepts. Gold’s Gym received international acclaim. In 1975 when it was prominently featured in the movie ‘Pumping Iron’. It was established as the ‘Mecca of bodybuilding’.

Gold’s Gym is among the largest international gym chains across the globe, recognized for its unique heritage and experience in fitness and lifestyle management. The India chapter of Gold’s Gym began in 2002. Soon the branches grew.

Today Gold’s Gym has gym facilities in various cities like Chennai, Surat, Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Kolkata, Jaipur, Noida, Ludhiana and Jalandhar. Promoted by partners Rajesh Advani, G. Ramachandran and Jagdish K Valecha, Gold’s Gym India has carved its niche in the Indian market.

Know more about Gold’s Gym package

Moksh, the wellness place
Moksh provides Time to pause, and time to heal yourself. Their website mentions: “There comes a time just to pause, ponder, and rethink our life and its priorities. And this is one such time.”

One can try out yoga to find inner peace and joy; do cardio to stay fit; undergo strength training. Their nutritionist guides every member on weight management. Members can use the vibrogym to improve blood flow, and get therapeutic massages at their spa (Nirvana).

They can dance away their worries at the dance studio. This is an opportunity to find one’s feet and get rejuvenated at My Foot Reflexology. Kaaya, their salon, helps one glow.

Aren’t these perfect options for a special kind of a gift that would stay along for a longer time than a conventional gift?

Know more about Moksh packages

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Have you been striving for long to discover the secret to wealth creation? Have you been unable to do so, and have started believing you will never be able to fulfill your dreams? How can you turn around your constant struggle into a lasting success? What really is the secret of wealth building?

To start with, you need to grasp a few basic theories that act as a stepping stone to become wealthy.

Change your beliefs and thought process 
To become wealthy, your habits, thoughts, self-image, emotions and motivation must all be aligned towards fulfilling that single goal. Remember, success hinges invariably on your frame of mind. All riches begin as a state of mind. The key is not the mindless pursuit of wealth, but changing your attitudes and beliefs.

Success is a matter of mental attitude
The author of ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’, Stephen Covey, has rightly mentioned:” Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns constantly express our character and (thus) produce our effectiveness or ineffectiveness. If your self-instructions are negative, your achievements will always be negative. Conversely, when your self-instructions are positive, you will achieve much more.

Ability to choose a money-making vehicle
Apart from developing a positive mindset, other keys to wealth creation are ability to choose a money-making vehicle and to learn how it works, and then to actually make it work. Wealth creation is not about mere luck; it is the byproduct of implementing an appropriate strategy. Remember, applied knowledge is power.

Information without action is of no worth
Information without action is of no worth. We are great at giving excuses like lack of time and lack of money to invest. The real reason is we fail to turn knowledge into action. We do not really utilize what we have learned. 

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A velvet jacket with exquisite Swarovski detailing, a corduroy mini skirt, a double-breasted denim jacket, a pinstriped shirt, a trendy knit tie, a nice neon green belt studded with dazzling diamantés and fabulous pink ballerinas.

It’s wrong to think it’s only the high street that’s really street-smart! In fact, you can now hit Puma, Reebok, Lacoste, Nike and Adidas stores for latest fashion apparel and accessories.

These fantastic fashion apparel and amazing accessories will make a wonderful gift for someone who is sporty and contemporary in attitude and outlook, which reflects in the person’s appearance and dressing style.

To offer you ample scope for selection, Lacoste has on offer a range of funky as well as formal shirts and jazzy jackets for both men and women, besides jeans, trousers, and ties. On the other hand, the Nike Sportswear (NSW) range comprises sizzling sports-inspired fashion product portfolio with prints, exquisite embroidery and just more than a little bit of bling you are looking for.

You will find that shelves at Puma are decked with sunglasses, comic strip-printed handbags, beautiful ballerinas, metallic sneakers, belts in neon colors with crystal buckles, and gold clutches. Their superb sports lifestyle collection is not for the field action, of course.

Gorgeous gym wear is another category worth considering. Metallic boots from Adidas are available at Rs7,999. As is apparent, the popular brand’s business strategy for the evolving Indian market is to focus on sports trendy lifestyle rather than churning hard-core sporting accessories and equipment.

As amply made clear by managing director of Puma Sports India Pvt. Ltd., Rajiv Mehta, in an interview, it gives them a clear edge over other leading sports brands. The brand has already tied up with designer Alexander McQueen internationally for a fashion line.

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Here are some more ‘ridiculously stupid’ gift ideas that well fit the April Fool spirit from a sneezing, yawning monkey to a screaming rubber chicken. You can come up with ‘stupid’ gifts.

Slingshot Monkey
The Slingshot Monkey is a stuffed monkey that’s dressed like a superhero. It can fly up to at least 50 feet and scream along the way. Scary and funny, both in one go, isn’t it?

Mistletoe to Go
In the mood for love, but unfortunately, on the go? Turn to this portable mistletoe. This attractive arrangement of faux mistletoe carries a suction cup, which attaches to your forehead.

USB dancer
This bikini-wearing dancer can plug into your computer’s USB port & audio port and when audio files run on your system, she will dance and gyrate around the pole.

Get off the Phone Excuse Machine
If you’ve trouble getting off the phone from some unwanted callers, this small electronic device could be the solution. Press a button for ‘Whoops, there’s the door’ or ‘I can’t hear you, you are breaking up,’ and you can thus get off the hook, as the caller will get easily fooled.

Inflatable Moosehead
No need to go through the effort and expense of tracking down a moose and then shooting it dead when you can merely buy an inflatable moose head for the trophy wall. Show that you are brave, even if you are not!

Electronic Yodeling Pickle
The electronic yodeling pickle is a plastic pickle with a high-tech interior. When you opt to press the pickle’s button, it belts out a yodel that’s reminiscent of the Swiss Alps.

Poo-lar Bear Candy
It is a peculiar plastic polar bear, which one may choose to fill with candy poop so when one presses down on the bear’s hind quarters, he will poop out a tasty treat.

Tags: business gift baskets, Corporate gifting, Business etiquette, promotional products, promotional gifts, gifting india, Gifting events, Best corporate gifts, gifting etiquette, Best business gifts

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With a bit of planning and innovative thinking, you can ensure a fun-filled and romantic marriage anniversary.

Love tends to chart its own undefined course. Your marriage life also must have been filled with various intense moments and shades of emotions. Relive those memories and choose a gift so that he or she appreciates the time spent with you, your loving gesture and accepts the apparent or subtle message that your gift conveys the joys and even challenges shared by both of you.

A gift will mark the celebration of your relationship. Of course, tastes of different persons are understandably different; there is no such thing really as an ideal or utopian gift.

Instead of pushing that last-minute delivery of flowers or rushed reservation request at a restaurant, think of your gift well in advance and work out your gift idea and a romantic spot with some thought and planning.

Create the right mood; dress your bed eclectically. Decorate a vase on a bedside table; spread the fragrance with some fresh flowers. The idea is when your partner walks in, she or he will get a real surprise!

Buying a set of soft silk sheets in colors such as dark maroon, silver would make a good idea. It can be bought at any local linen or branded upholstery showroom. Make it a point to give him or her special anniversary gift to match your level of involvement and the intensity of your love. In fact, a deciding factor in what you gift should be how committed both of you are to each other.

A thoughtful gift is one that counts and brings smile on the receiver’s face. Take the effort to gift something your partner really aspires for. This well might be a genre of book or music he or she had mentioned to you. If the person loves collecting, get something worthy for the collectibles’ shelf.

Remember, it’s not about how much you spend to get the gift; it’s more about the gesture you make and the efforts you take to make a gift far more meaningful and personal. Gifts act as a perfect reflection of your sentiments towards someone special in your life.

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Valentine’ Day is all about proclaiming one’s love. And who knows this better than Salman Khan. He does not miss an opportunity to make public his feeling about charismatic Katrina Kaif. There is no way that he would miss out on Valentine’ Day.

As a gossipy bit in a magazine reports: “Their love is literally touching the skies. Earlier, the two used to hit the headlines for their differences and frequent tussles but now the things are something different. Nowadays, we only get to hear the romantic stories of their love. With each passing day, the two are coming closer as they are able to read one another’s heart in a far better way. They do not anymore get into any sort of unnecessary arguments or brawl.”

People would differ whether Sallu is an expert or not in wooing his lady love but he is doing everything possible to keep his Kat happy. The couple often goes out for a nice candle-light dinner. Salman Khan also brings a smile on her radiant face with a surprise visit on her shooting sets. As Valentine’s Day is approaching fast, Sallu has a fantastic gift ready for her to broaden the smile. He has decided to gift her one plush flat in the posh western suburb of Bandra, according to media reports.

The location of the flat and its design appealed to Salman Khan so much that the actor has already made up his mind to purchase it and gift it to Katrina on February 14. He actually wanted to finish the interior decoration work before he could gift her. He has reportedly given the task of decorating it to Suzanne Khan (Hrithik Roshan’s wife). Salman will also decorate the living room wall with a pretty portrait of Katrina.

So, what you are going to gift to your ‘Kat’?

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You would tend to think that business tycoon Anil Ambani would have an issue with a film revolving around his ‘fat boy’ days, now that he has managed to knock off the flab. He has established his credentials as a professional runner (the Mumbai Marathon saw him right in front of the pack).

But the ADAG chief tycoon appears to be extremely secure with himself, noted a DNA news report, which mentions that he has not made any effort to stop the release of the new film ‘42 kms’.

The report by Soumyadipta Banerjee mentions: “Ambani has given the filmmakers a go-ahead (over e-mail).” This is what he wrote to the film producer, Vicky Tejwani, when he was informed of a character in the movie almost based on him. “Hi Vicky, I do not mind…Thanks a lot. I will not be able to attend the film’s premiere owing to prior commitments. But I wish the best for the film. Regards, Anil…”

Director Nisha Chainani has been quoted as saying: “We informed Anil Ambani via email about the film. Instead of preventing us from filming those scenes, he wished us all the best.”

She got to know about his weight problem while being part of a group ‘the Hash Run’ six years ago. She heard how the taunts about his weight prompted him to take up exercise and to take part in the Boston Marathon.

The point we are making is health and fitness has become a core activity for celebrities despite their hectic lifestyle. So, why should be left behind. If you want to spread the message, there can be not better way than gifting a fitness gadget to your colleagues, bosses and relatives to encourage them to stay fit.

Tags: promotional products, Corporate gifting, gifting india, corporate gifting for employees, Corporate gifting India, Best business gifts, , Worst gifts, business gift baskets, Cheap corporate gifts

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Outlining their vision, Swiss Military Products SA mentions: “Today’s youths have leapfrogged from the socialist culture to the more money spending one. They are brand conscious and hardly have qualms about flaunting the same. The ego enhancing image is now considered ‘cool’! Disposable income and independent decision making makes the new generation take risks. We vow to fulfill their dreams by bringing eclectic items with unmatched quality to them.

They also endeavor to establish themselves as a corporate gifting brand. Explaining the rationale, they mention: “Large multinational business houses would much rather like to associate with a successful and popular worldwide brand rather than an unbranded item that could be manufactured in any part of the Asian world without any commitment to quality. The core of their operating philosophy is delivering Swiss quality at affordable prices.”

This is well reflected in the Swiss military & Alpine Club range of products, including exclusive collection of Swiss-made accessories that are elegant, comfortable and timeless. They are exclusively created to please the receiver and ensure that you deliver personal satisfaction through your gift thanks to its durability and functionality.

What makes their products desirable are quality and designs tuned to international trends. Swiss Military and Alpine Club are for those who want the best in terms of performance and looks! 

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Alarm Clocks and Watches
Whether it is one of their classic or contemporary modern models, a travel alarm clock or a wristwatch, every time piece on offer from Swiss Military is made only from premium components and has a unique touch of craftsmanship! Their watches are subject to meticulous screenings and are controlled stringently up to the second.

They are so designed that you get the best in terms of usage and design standards. All of their watch lenses are scratch resistant, making them perfect for outdoor usage. They are luminous at night, compact and foldable. With the superb Swiss Military look you will be getting a high performance watch at a truly unbeatable price.

Leather Essentials
This will allow a user carry his or her variables in luxurious leathers. They look stylish and exude elegance perfectly paired with functionality. This is the feature that distinguishes Swiss Military wallets from others. They are made from genuine leather, and their assortment of wonderful wallets is so designed that they offer something for all needs and tastes. Whether you wish to carry change or various cards, you will get an ideal one to match your requirements in the genuine Swiss Military range.

Key chains and Caps
The amazing assortment of Swiss Military & Alpine Club accessories has something for everyone. Their product range of Key chains and Caps is no exception. It lets the user make a perfect brand statement. There are other items such as universal adopter, deluxe tools and baggage belts that one can consider for gifting as they are an ideal combination of utility and style and are suitable for travel purpose.

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