Presents to light up the faces

KATHMANDU, NOV 04 -

Giving gifts to brothers and sisters and other near and dear ones is one of the major aspects of celebrating Tihar . Apart from the fruits, sweets and dried fruits that are the traditional festival presents, apparels, wrist watches, accessories, cosmetics and chocolates are also becoming popular gift items. In today’s edition of Bazaar, The Kathmandu Post presents a few items suitable as Deepawali gifts.

Idols of Goddess Laxmi

As worshipping Laxmi is one of the major events during Tihar , providing idols of the goddess of prosperity and wealth can be one of the gift options. The market offers idols made of brass, copper, clay and crystal glass. Similarly, images of the goddess decorated with flashing lights are also a good gift idea during Tihar . Asan, Basantapur and Pashupati in Kathmandu and varied bazaars in Patan and Bhaktapur are the places to go to for these gifts. A number of departmental stores also offer a wide collection of such statues.

Apparels

Despite being a conventional idea, gifting readymade garments is still popular among the people. The warm clothes that shopkeepers have showcased targeting the upcoming winter season can also help. Saris, kurtis (T-shirts), woollen or pashmina shawls and one-piece with leggings can be the perfect gifts for her while casual wear and suit pieces could please men. Parbati Shrestha, proprietor of Palanchok Bhagwati Pashmina Industry, said pashmina shawls are one of the fastest selling items duringTihar . Major shopping streets like Durbar Marg and New Road along with departmental stores offer quality fabrics in a wide range of prices.

Chocolates

Chocolates may also be considered for gifts for the festival. The products are equally popular among business houses and individuals as the perfect replacement for sweet meats due to rampant adulteration in the market. Almost all the department stores and traditional shopping areas like Asan, New Road and Mangal Bazaar in the city offer chocolates-from normal packets to celebration boxes.

Wrist Watches

Wrist watches have always been one of the most loved accessories for gifts in almost all the age groups. For those who want to present watches, watch stores on Durbar Marg and New Road offer products from world class brands like Seiko, Chopard, Rolex, Rado, Tissot, Fast Track and Tag Heuer.

Jewellery

Jewellery is one of the best gifts for special people for special occasions. Necklaces, pendants and earrings can be good choices as gift items for women while chains, rings and bracelets are suitable presents for men. Keeping rising gold prices in mind, the domestic market also offers lightweight products suitable for economy budgets. Precious stones like diamond, aquamarine and ruby are among the high-end products. Patan, Bishal Bazaar, New Road and Durbar Marg can be the best choices for jewellery buyers.

Sweets

Sweets are considered an integral part of the celebrations, and a packet of sweets may be an ideal gift item. For the occasion, the market offers specially packed sweets that come with extra decoration. Almost every sweet shops offers specials pack of the products during the festive time. Sweet meats containing nuts like cashew, pistachio and almond are the high-end products in the segment. In addition, sweet stores also offer sugar-free products targeting diabetic patients. Nandan, Aangan, Rameshwarom, Ram Bhandar, Trishna Mithai, Dudh Sagar, Anmol, Gulab Sweets and Sangam Sweets are some popular sweet stores in the Kathmandu.