Season of giving

There's a range of gifts available in the market this festive season. Smita Tripathi takes a look at some of them

It's that time of the year again. Diwali, besides being the festival of lights, is also the best time to buy and give gifts.

So whether it is to show love and affection to your near and dear ones or to engage in a bit of public relations, here are some suggestions about possible gifts.

Swarovski, the crystal specialist, has introduced a whole new range for Diwali including wine glasses, candleholders and photo frames. What's more, Swarovski is offering a surprise gift on every purchase made.

Considering that Diwali is the festival of lights, it might be fitting to gift a candle stand made of crystal and cherry wood.

They are available in three different sizes "" small, medium and large "" and are priced at Rs 10,345, Rs 11,295 and Rs 12,395 respectively.

For those who prefer something a bit more exotic, there are cocktail glasses and red or white wine glasses. The stems of these glasses are filled with tiny crystal stones which turn them into glittering eye-catchers. The price: Rs 18,195 for a set of two.

And if you do decide to gift wine glasses, why not gift a bottle of wine as well. Radico Khaitan is distributing the well-known Californian wine Carlo Rossi and Andre in India.

For Diwali, they have come out with a special offer under which with every two bottles of either Carlo Rossi red or white wine worth approximately Rs 1,250 each, you get to take away an attractive two-bottle wrought iron wine rack that can be used to store and display wine. Also, the Andre (sparkling wine) gift pack is available for Rs 825.

And while we are talking about wine and wine glasses, the waft of cigar smoke can't be too far behind.

Habanos Cigars, which owns the cigar lounge Cingari at The Oberoi, New Delhi, has introduced different packages and offers for the festive season. Anyone who buys cigars worth Rs 20,000 will get a glass top humidor worth Rs 15,000 free.

Also gift baskets which originally cost Rs 1,750, Rs 1,950 and Rs 8,710 now cost Rs 1,000, Rs 1,500 and Rs 7,000 respectively.

For those of you who prefer to go the traditional way, it might be an idea to take a look at the Frazer and Haws Diwali range. Everything from diyas to statues of Lord Ganesha are available.

One of the most striking of the lot is the Ganesh Sarveshwar "" a solid silver Ganpati which rests on a rosewood base. This limited edition is definitely a collector's item, but at Rs 84,000, it does not come cheap.

If the Ganesha is a bit too steep for you, perhaps the Frazer and Haws diyas might be a good idea. The Diya Swastik is a set of eight diyas arranged in the swastik symbol hanging one over the other, topped by four crystal beads. It's priced at Rs 11,025.

Delhi-based I-K Silver is not restricting itself to Ganeshas this Diwali but is also offering a range dedicated to Krishna and Shiva.

The Rudra-Swaroop range has Shiva represented by the trishul and his dumroo made of rudrakshas. The Keshav range is dedicated to Krishna and comprises the Krishna bell and an incense stand made in sterling silver.

If you prefer to buy a utility item rather than decorative ones, steel would score over silver. Magpie has selected 25 products as part of its 'Designer Gift collection' including fruit bowls, coffee sets, flower vases, clocks and ice buckets.

The collection is priced at Rs 295 onwards and is available at all leading stores such as Shopper's Stop, Westside, Lifestyle etc.

But, if you are looking for a really classy gift, check out Tissot's latest watches for both men and women which have been specially launched keeping the festive season in mind.

The Tissot Oval-T is a futuristic ladies' wristwatch priced between Rs 11,000 and Rs 13,000. The watch is available with a diverse choice of dials in black, silver and mother-of-pearl. The bracelet is of paved steel.

Tissot's TXL Automatic for men is made from scratch-proof sapphire crystal and comes with multi-functional features like a chronograph. It's available in both a leather as well as a silver strap and costs between Rs 19,000 and Rs 20,900.