Businesspersons and several brands embrace the season of hope

This Christmas and New Year, the gifts include time, fitness, upskilling lessons, curated hampers and experiences

As another difficult year comes to an end on a note of cautious optimism, several brands and the people behind those brands are allowing themselves an opportunity to celebrate.

After a year of hard work, Vipul Tyagi, chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder of edtech start-up Orphicy, wants to indulge himself. “This Christmas and New Year, I am treating myself with a PS5. A start-up like ours is very demanding and I will have to make a conscious effort to keep my mind alive,” he says. “To our team-members, we are gifting fitness bands and a three-month gym membership. We are also sponsoring any upskilling activity that anyone in our company wants to go for.”

Pleased with the phenomenal opening of Spider-Man: No Way Home, PVR Joint MD Sanjeev Bijli intends to do what he wishes more people in India would venture out for: to watch a movie in a cinema hall. “I am going to be watching 83 (inspired by India’s 1983 Cricket World Cup under Kapil Dev) on the big screen on Christmas eve (the movie is scheduled to hit cinemas on December 24),” says Bijli. Apart from that, “we’re just doing a little Secret Santa in the family after which I head to Goa for New Year celebrations,” he adds.

Since large gatherings continue to be a no-no for many, smaller parties are the flavour of the season.

“I’ve been hosting a grand New Year's eve party at my house for several years now. Last year was the first time I could not do so, and while large gatherings still pose a risk, a warm get-together at my house with a trusted group of friends is how I am planning to ring in the New Year,” says Ankur Bhatia, founder, Jimmy’s Cocktails, which are premium non-alcoholic cocktail mixers that can also be consumed straight up as mocktails. “That, and a Hibiki Master’s Select, a Japanese whisky I bought last year, along with some not yet launched Jimmy’s Cocktails, which I will unveil to my close group of friends this New Year’s eve.”

On the business side of things, Bhatia has launched the Jimmy’s Festive Gift Pack, second edition, which comes with a range of finely crafted cocktail mixers and a cocktail shaker for the season.

Christmas, Restaurants, Business in Covid

Some, however, are opting to take their minds off business entirely for this period. 

“The two years of the pandemic came with mammoth lessons, and a reminder that nothing is certain except the memories you've created, the time you've spent with people you love,” says Prabhkiran Singh, founder CEO, Bewakoof, a D2C fashion brand and marketplace. And so, he plans to gift himself time, which he describes as “fuel for the soul”.

Seasons Specials

Brands, meanwhile, are hoping the spirit of Christmas and New Year will put some sparkle on sales. So, many of them have launched special hampers for the period.

Kama Ayurveda, for instance, has come out with skincare and beauty gift boxes in the colours of Christmas, with an assortment of natural products like rose and kumkum. Also on offer are kumkum gift boxes adorned with Mughal miniature art.

Customised ayurvedic hair and skin care brand Vedix has introduced limited edition gift boxes with bhringraj (commonly called false daisy) infused hair products, says Jatin Gujrati, its business head.

Iconic French patisserie Laduree, which entered India this year with an outlet in Delhi’s Khan Market, has created Christmas gift boxes in collaboration with French jewellery house Mellerio Joaillier. These boxes contain an assortment of eight, 16 and 24 gourmet macarons, priced at Rs 2,550 and upwards.

In Bengaluru, Champaca Bookstore, library and café, too, has launched limited-edited curated gift boxes. One such is the “Magic, Realism & the World Today” box (priced at Rs 2,099), which contains The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa, The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, Exit West by Mohsin Hamid, a 100 gm pouch of Black Baza coffee and bookmarks.

Not to be left behind, luxury hotels, too, are ready with bespoke gift hampers and packages.

At Taj Mahal, Delhi, #ToastToTomorrow is trending with the hotel offering special stay packages, festive surprises and culinary experiences. There are limited edition hampers, starting at Rs 3,000, which contain an assortment of goodies including plum cake.. Special dining experiences and menus have been created to celebrate the season with “grand brunches, open-air lounges, dining under the stars, in-suite dining and restaurant specials,” says Satyajeet Krishnan, area director, New Delhi and general manager, Taj Mahal.

The Lodhi in Delhi, meanwhile, is whipping up its season special epicurean meals and inventive concoctions, served to live music. Curated hampers, gift boxes and festive favourites like yule logs and plum cakes are also available all month long at The Lodhi Bakery.

For this year’s Christmas brunch at The Claridges, New Delhi, the hotel has crafted a gourmet spread under the winter sun, besides hampers and an array of quintessential Christmas favourites like stolen bread and gingerbread houses.

Optimism is in the air, as is the hope that the mood will carry forward to 2022.