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Gifts down generations

With Children’s Day being the new excuse to pamper kids, here’s a look at gifting trends

Showli Chakraborty, Bharati Kanjilal Published 18.11.22, 01:06 PM

Illustrations: Pratik Chakrabarti

Durga puja is long over. Christmas and the sock to hang for Santa Claus are more than a month away. But many children got busy unwrapping gift boxes earlier this week. Children's Day is emerging as the latest occasion to hand over a gift to one's child. Many parents from the middle or upper middle class chose the day as yet another reason to buy something to make the child feel special.

According to toy stores in Salt Lake, top draws this year have been Harry Potter, Marvel and Avengers merchandise for youngsters in their pre-teens to late teens. These are usually a hit with people familiar with shows and books based on these characters. Other attractions are DIY (do-it-yourself) kits. These include science-based adventure kits such as a model of the solar system, a small telescope to gaze at the stars, space shuttle busyboards, etc. Also popular gift items are indoor soccer boards, kid scooters, robotics kits, gun shooters, laboratories at home, etc.

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"Children's Day," says Nishit Lal of Gift House in Bangur Avenue, "has slowly emerged as another occasion to pamper the child. A lot of parents, especially young parents whose children are still very small, look at it as another occasion to celebrate together. They buy gifts, go out and spend time together to choose a gift and it ends with a small treat at the end of the evening. Most parents also think of it as a time to be good parents even if they are scolding the child at other times. I also have parents coming in, saying that Children's Day is a big thing for the family."

Anand Mehta of Smilikidz, Lake Town, says: "These days everything is about social media. As soon as some people see their friends buying gifts for their children on Children's Day, they also want to do the same thing. While some parents and grandparents are genuinely emotional about it, others are doing it just because they see others doing it too. Sales have gone up for toys in the run up to Children's Day. And this has been a trend for the last five-six years. We have had more orders and even pre-booked orders for Children's Day."

No party for girls

Over the years, mentalities behind the occasions that warrant gifting have undergone a sea change. Senior citizen Maya Mitra, a resident of Purbachal Housing Estate, recalls how celebrating birthdays of daughters was unheard of in her childhood. "When I found a neighbour's daughter's birthday was being celebrated I pleaded with my parents to celebrate my birthday too. They kept my request and marked the day in a small way, giving me a new dress to wear."

HB Block resident and writer Pratima Ghosh, who is a senior citizen, also recalls the rarity of a girl's birthday celebration back in the day. "In our family, birthdays of our brothers would have been celebrated and we would have been silent watchers. They would get lots of books as gifts," she said.

Ways of marking birthdays have seen generational shifts. DB Block-based dance professional Sonali Basak, in her 60s, recalls there was no cutting of cake or blowing of candles in her childhood. "Mother would have prepared chaler payesh, luchi and mutton curry. We would wear new clothes and touch the feet of elders to seek their blessings. Mother was the headmistress in a school but since my birthday was in May, she would be home for summer vacation. I used to receive a small gift. I was happiest when my neighbourhood friends and family members gathered in the evening, gifts in hand."

Cars & Barbie dolls

For the next generation, gender still played a role but not in terms of outright exclusion or inclusion. Rather it stereotyped who got what as gift.

Monika Gupta, a 32-year-old homemaker from AC Block, recalls getting Barbie dolls and other doll accessories to play from her aunts and uncles. In those days, gifts were very gender-centric. Girls got Barbie dolls and boys always got cars and robots. I remember borrowing a remote- operated car from one of my cousins and asking him to teach me how to control it. These days that distinction has reduced, though not gone entirely. Such mentality definitely needs to change."

Visits from abroad were a lucrative source. “As a '90s kid, I got Swiss chocolates and nutty snack bars when my relatives came visiting from abroad. In those days, these things were not available in India. For us, these were really exotic goods and we took the 'bilaiti' goodies to school to show off and make friends jealous,” said Anirban Majumdar, a resident of CA Block.Birthday customs and gifts have both undergone a change. Deepali Chatterjee, an elderly composer staying in BH Block, feels on a birthday, preparing payesh has become almost obsolete. “Even for my son's birthdays, we followed our family tradition and prepared payesh along with special breakfast of luchi, alur dom and sweets. Close relatives and a few school friends and neighbours would have been invited. Gifts of cassettes of hit songs, books, pens, autograph books, stamp albums, comics, chocolate box, indoor board games, drawing sets, calculator etc would have generated a great feeling,” she says.Cutting cake and blowing candles are now mandatory at every birthday party. “The parties themselves are theme-based now, with popular choices being Harry Potter and jungle. At such parties, there are even theme-based cake, theme dress, return gifts and magic show. The birthday menu has totally changed. Now it's all smoothie, mousse, ice cream, brownie, burger, cookies, pizza and momo. Those who can afford are even going for staycations and destination parties. During Christmas, putting surprise gifts inside the socks is an accepted custom. Children feel their parents are backdated if they are deprived of such practices,” Chatterjee said. Her nine-year-old grandchild's birthday gift list is long and expensive - remote-controlled cars, mobile game, small guns with light and sound, sunglass, headphone, bath toiletteries and mystery story books.

Modern trends

A child in a Superman suit.

A child in a Superman suit. Debasmita Bhattacharjee

Durga puja is long over. Christmas and the sock to hang for Santa Claus are more than a month away. But many children got busy unwrapping gift boxes earlier this week. Children's Day is emerging as the latest occasion to hand over a gift to one's child. Many parents from the middle or upper middle class chose the day as yet another reason to buy something to make the child feel special.

According to toy stores in Salt Lake, top draws this year have been Harry Potter, Marvel and Avengers merchandise for youngsters in their pre-teens to late teens. These are usually a hit with people familiar with shows and books based on these characters. Other attractions are DIY (do-it-yourself) kits. These include science-based adventure kits such as a model of the solar system, a small telescope to gaze at the stars, space shuttle busyboards, etc. Also popular gift items are indoor soccer boards, kid scooters, robotics kits, gun shooters, laboratories at home, etc.

The kind of gift one receives also depends on who it is coming from. For example, if it is an annaprasan, close relatives choose to gift small gold chains or gold earrings or finger rings to the toddler. It is largely seen as a gesture to create assets or investments on the child's behalf. For more traditional occasions, such as poitey (sacred thread ceremony), many people opted for pens, books and watches. “Somebody who is having a poitey is usually in his pre-teens. So watches, sunglasses, binoculars are things that would excite him. Even buying a really smart bicycle for a girl or boy in his/her pre-teens is also a good gift option,” said a spokesperson of Lil Champs, another toy shop in City Center 1.

Manik Haldar of Kidzz at City Center 1 said: “Gifts are of various categories for children. For example, for the 1.6-3 years, one would buy building blocks, soft toys, or a baby guitar. As they grow older, children choose to play with sturdier things, like cars of different sizes, moving trains, etc. The toy market has evolved considerably over the last decade. Now children also buy Superman costumes or Batman accessories. They like wearing them to fancy dress parties organised by their friends.”

Innovative gifts such as mini catapult and arrow-ball shooters, home automation projects, DIY DC Motor, DIY hydraulic shooter and jack, board games such as treasure hunts or heritage hunts are also a big draw for children and are readily available online. However, with the expansion of the market the cost of these toys has also risen. Innovative toys can range from anything between Rs 500-Rs 3,500 or sometimes more. But nothing seems to stop a parent, if he has made up his mind!

The market has now been segmented into toddlers, play-schoolers, pre-teens, teenagers and finally, youngsters just about to complete their school education. Parents too are looking to give something that is different but useful. In fact, gifting habits of adults towards their children have also gone through a paradigm shift. Most people don't even wait for occasions to buy a gift; they just buy something whenever they want to.

“I was always anxious about how my little daughter would behave in public. So I made a pact with her. I told her if she behaved well and did not throw any tantrums in public and if this behaviour lasted for a week, I would give her a gift at the end of the week. It could be anything from her favourite bar of chocolate to her favourite toy,” said Siddeshwari Roy, a 35-year-old business manager.

An employee at Lil Champs in City Centre puts up a Batsuit on display.

An employee at Lil Champs in City Centre puts up a Batsuit on display. Debasmita Bhattacharjee

The modern system of education is such that we make a child work for something by telling him that there is a prize at the end of it. However, there could be negative implications of this mode of parenting as well. “Sometimes if he is appreciated too often, he doesn't learn to deal with disappointment. In such cases, children begin to feel depressed if they are not rewarded. It is all right to give gifts occasionally, but never out of the idea to spoil a child just because you can. It should come as an encouragement, not as a practice,” said Bhashwati Jalan, a homemaker who is also a grandparent to three toddlers.

“Some people think expensive gifts make children happy. Truth is, a child only seeks companionship and love. If you are buying him a toy, please make the time from your busy schedule to play with him as well. Nothing will make him happier. Whether you play football or cricket or work out a robot model, the child will be delighted to be able to do it with you. That is the best gift one can give a child,” said Shilpa Jhunjhunwala, a resident of Bangur Avenue who is the mother of a 10-year-old girl.

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