Chaand raat gifts: spirit of gifting

Eid is a special time for me and my family. Its time for fasting and feasting. It’s also a time for giving and sharing for me. Its a time when we give gifts, charity, share meals with friends and neighbours, host iftaars. It’s also when I give groceries to my domestic help. 

This year was the same. But this year when I was giving them the groceries in plastic bags I felt like this is a gift which I am giving without any attention to the packaging. Which makes it look and feel like charity. I was disturbed by the fact that I never thought of decorating the gifts I gave my help. I spend considerable amount of time and effort decorating birthday gifts, hostess gifts, guest gift. But why not for the help. 

I have given them their Eid and birthday outfits in plastic bags. Their groceries on the past in bags as well.  Though these were gifts, they felt like charity just because they weren’t packed appropriately. 

So this year I decided to put in that extra effort for their Chand raat gifts. And packed their sheer korma essentials in a basket with some mehendi, sheer bowl and agarbattis. When I gave it to my chief help in the morning she looked so happy but surprised. I felt so ashamed that I hadn’t done this before. But I guess jab jago tab sawera. 

Sharing this story just to highlight we may all believe that all men are equal. We may be treating people who work for us well. However there is always a scope to be more thoughtful and be better human being. 

Anything good is not good enough. The world needs more