Arranged marriages are still very prevalent in India.  When the bride meets the groom for the first time lots of gifts are exchanged within the family. They keep exchanging gifts till they wed & then surprisingly this trend stops. Gift giving is considered an expression of love in our culture & is still seen in the same way in many cultures.

If love strengthens family bonds it is equally true that gifts strengthen bonds too. One of the biggest marketing gimmicks is the fanfare associated with Valentine’s Day-The day you dedicate to please your loved ones. Why cannot everyday be a valentine’s day? Doesn’t valentine’s year sound sweeter?

Dr. Gary Chapman, author of 5 Love languages says that gift is a major love language among many of us. Female readers of this blog are sure to nod in agreement.  I am in no way suggesting spending every day on gifts. Gifts can be free or cheap too. Thamas a Kempis wisely says “A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver.”

Here are some friendly tips on inexpensive gifts:

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