'tis the time to shop

This holiday season, as a dutiful daughter & daughter-in-law I will be visiting my parents and in-laws in India. This statement is enough to give everyone a glimpse of what I will be doing during the weeks before I leave for India. My weekends will be spent buying gifts for all relations and friends. There are some you are close to and some that your parents know. If you are married you can double that number. Sometimes I get requests to get a gift for someone who has done my parents a favor. I don't have a clue who they are but still I spend a weekend afternoon getting gifts for them.

The first time I went back I was a novice at "India shopping" as many call it. I made a list of all my uncles, aunts, cousins and all. My gifts were personalized. I thought through what each one would like. I even went to the extent of gift wrapping each one of them. Soon after I went to India, I opened my treasure box surrounded by kith and kin with eager looks on their faces. I proudly handed out my gifts to each one of them as their face lit up. Even a felt pen or colorful pencil that is "Made in USA" is enough to lit up the faces of my dozen little cousins. But none know the stress I had to go through to see that smile. The next time I got smarter, I got several pounds of chocolates, almonds and pistachios for all my relatives. Along with that I took Ziploc bags for non-discriminatory distribution. It was my mother's task to fill the Ziploc bags based on the kids in the family & the relationship with the elders. Personalized gifts were only for parents and siblings.

Fast forwarding to current day, gifts from USA do not bring excitement to folks in India as it used to few years back. Almost every educated household has a representative abroad be it USA or Dubai. Most of the parents make an international visit once in a couple of years. When they leave their suitcases are stuffed with goodies that will last for 6 months after they go back. I could say that my parents do their holiday shopping in USA ever year. Either I do the shopping for them or they do it themselves. Added to this you get everything from Hershey's to Ferrero Rocher in India. This has made life easy for me. I just get sweets from Grand sweets or Krishna sweets when I visit my relatives.

Now for my parents. I no longer feel like taking shampoos, Facial Bars, Lotions, shaving creams, Handbags, Perfumes and that endless boring list. Not just me, my parents request me not to get any of the above as they still have stuff I got them last time + they are all available in India. Since they have been here a few time they know exactly what they want. That makes life easier for me. I will get just what they ask for. It makes better sense to buy my mom and nice Kanjeevaram saree and 22K gold Jeweler than a family size pert plus shampoo bought at Costco which will sit in the bathroom shelf until I visit next year to use it! I hope some day I will be able to visit India with just my carry on luggage. Now that is freedom in traveling.