Coimbatore: Instead of traditional Diwali sweets and savories as gifts, more and more people are opting for food items that have a longer shelf life, and even candles, diyas, coasters, napkins, calenders, beauty products and dip teas.
Interior designer and animal lover Manav Mehta, who realized that many of his friends have become health conscious, decided to try a different concept this year. “I decided to gift some of my friends detox hampers, which have candles and potpourri, coasters, soaps and tea because many of them are stressed working from home,” he told TOI. “It also works for me because I am a vegan. I will also gift some of my vegan friends a 300gm cheesecake that can be eaten in one sitting.”
Anamika Gupta Kajaria, a city-based food lover, ensured that 95% of her Diwali gifts were upcycled non-edible products. “I gifted notecards I made from handmade paper I bought from Puducherry, napkins I made from leftover clothes, cloth-covered pocket books and eco-friendly tissue paper I had ordered along with some candles,” she said. “I realized that so much food goes to waste. There is only so much we can give to our domestic helps because we don’t want them to get diabetic.”
Preethika, a homemaker, gifted a pair of candles and a pair of napkins to 23 of her friends and relatives. “To me, Diwali is about lights, hosting friends and family and spending time with them. My gifts signify all these things.”
Simran Wahan of Amaya Store on Race Course is getting a lot of requests for Diwali hampers consisting more of inedible items than edible. “Many choose a tray with a couple of diyas and six to 10 pieces of chocolates. Some skip chocolates and just pick up a tray with two diyas, sets of a journaling book, bookmark and prompts, tie a ribbon around them and gift. A customer bought calenders and gifted them for Diwali,” she said. “Some add soaps, a mini dreamcatcher, handmade coasters and a colouring book if the family has children. The inedible gift hampers start at Rs 470 and will remain with them for months or years.”
There are also others who gift hampers with vegan cheese, health mix, protein bars and granola bars.