India is a country with a huge amount of diversity. With a huge amount of diversity, there comes a number of festivals to celebrate! This year, many people are stepping away from mass produced or machine made gifts. Presents showcase love for our family members and friends. Therefore, these gifts have a touch of personality to them if they are handmade. After all, handmade gifts are made with a lot of heart, hard work and is a result of dedication.
Brass Diyas or Candle Holders
Buying diyas is an essential part of Deepavali. Instead of buying a plastic-painted diya, you can buy a terracotta holder which possesses decadent hand poured candles. There are craftsmen from Moradabad who create diyas which are made of brass. These diyas shine brightly, are carved intricately and are long lasting. They are be used as table center pieces during Christmas as well. You can gift someone a brass diya with a box of ‘mithai’ as a festival gift.
Banarasi Silk
It is always timeless to gift someone a luxurious banarasi silk and it will make them feel very special! Banarasi textiles can be worn in the form of saris, shawls, dupattas etc and it depicts a revival of elegant Indian fabrics.
Madhubani Paintings
Indian folk art is a masterpiece on its own. Madhubani paintings from Bihar tell stories without a voice. If not a painting, you can gift someone a Madhubani hand painted tray as a Dussehra present. You can even get coasters which showcase this folk art style which will bring a pop of color of any dining table.
Utility Products made of Sabai Grass
Sabai grass products have gained extreme popularity as you can gift someone handwoven trays, pendant lamps, placemats, storage baskets etc. The best part is that it is an eco-friendly and sustainable gift.
Handmade Toran
Instead of gifting someone a glamourous or glittery gift, handmade torans also look extremely elegant. These torans are crafted with beads, jute and crochet. You can pair them up with a handwoven floor mat and they are reusable for many, many years.
Channapatna Toys
You can gift these toys from Karnataka as a Christmas ornament! These toys are made of wood, they are lacquered and polished with natural dyes. Therefore, they can be used as nativity sets in Christmas or as tea light holders in Diwali or as ornaments in Dussehra! They adorn a room with nostalgia and color.
Mata ni Pachedi Cloth Art
If you are buying a gift for a spiritual person, this is the ultimate gift. This gift is rooted in storytelling and worship. This cloth is used for making framed squares, wall tapestries or even shawls. They were traditionally used as backdrops in temples.
Macramé Décor
Gifting someone Macrame Décor is a sign of love. Nowadays, artisans are mixing traditional techniques with contemporary ideas. Out of this, you can make Christmas coloured green, red or golden hangings, snowflakes, angels, tree skirts etc. The material used is soft cotton. This will make your Christmas even more beautiful.
Artisanal Soap
If you have a friend who loves skincare, this gift would be perfect for them. These soaps are made from turmeric, neem, sandalwood, rose petals etc. You can make a self-care gift hamper from these soaps of different fragrances.
Hand painted Gift Boxes
In Rajasthan, there are many stores which sell upcycled wooden boxes. They can be used as pen stands, jewelry holders, stationery boxes etc. You can add dried flowers, chocolates and bookmarks in these.
In conclusion, handmade gifts are important because they are extremely meaningful, they support the artisans directly and are good for the environment.
Author
Shreeja Mukherjee