Weddings Where Hosts Gaze at Gift Packs and Not the Invitees

Weddings are conducted in a lavish and colorful manner in some parts of the world. One of the most important features of such weddings is the practice of giving and receiving gifts to the bride and the bridegroom. This practice originated long ago. Well-known families who knew the bride/bridegroom and the parents intimately, gave something useful or cash to set up the household as a token of love and affection. In due course the practice got corrupted so that anything could be given by any body who was invited .The bigger and costlier the item, it was supposed, the greater was the intensity of affection to the receiver.Let us enjoy this humorous story of gifts.

At times the emphasis shifted from the sanctity of the marriage to the giving and receiving of gifts. In society weddings, on the day prior to the wedding, a dinner or high tea is offered to friends as a means of entertaining them. Guests come with gifts and an empty hand may be frowned upon. A person will be nominated for collection and custody of gifts. He is like the Bell Captain in a five star hotel, the" Gift Captain". He receives the gift as soon as it is delivered to the bride or the bridegroom and ensures safe custody.

The emphasis and importance to the practice of gifts is such, as though the visitors are screened with X ray eyes from a distance by some of the hosts. For enticing many in the 'gift net'some hosts send invitations indiscriminately to known and unknown persons. No distinction is made between friends and acquaintances.

Some guests or invitees are very clever in handling gifts. They buy bulky low value items and wrap in a nice attractive color paper elegantly. They will ensure they are photographed or video graphed so that their presence with the gift is noticed.