First of all I must say a big thank you to all my blog readers and occasional visitors for the overwhelming response to my first contest. The first contest had one winner chosen via a random draw of lots. And the winner is Ms. Sudha Maheswari from California.
I am touched by your response and I have decided to increase the number gifts. Today's post will carry two $100 American Express Diwali Gift Cards which will be given away to lucky winners. So today and tomorrow there will be two lucky people who will win the gift card. If you respond to the contest and not win today also, don't worry the final contest which will have two more winners will be on Saturday, October 16, 2010.
Today I am going to talk a little about my fond Diwali memories. I was born and grew up in Bengaluru, the IT city of India. Most of my holidays would be spent in my grandparents home at Hosur, a small industrial town about an hours drive away. Diwali meant all of us 20 cousins, and an equal number of uncles & aunts getting together in the sprawling home of our grandparents. Those were days of fun all of us boys would get together and head to the hills at the outskirts of the town and spend our day climbing rocks, roaming in the woods. We would return home promptly at meal times.
Diwali celebrated with the entire family getting together was always fun and joy. More fun was getting the numerous gifts from all uncles, aunts, and my grand parents, clothes, pens, candy, and sometimes cold hard cash also. Now all of us cousins are spread out across the world and rarely meet in person. It is only memories that we carry and of course the all pervasive linkage through the world wide web. It is through online greeting cards and gift cards we keep in touch in this wireless world.
Today's contest
I think it has been enough of my reminiscing, let me talk about how you can get a $100 American Express Diwali Gift card today. It is quite simple. Leave a comment on this post, and mention your fondest memory of receiving a gift. If it is a Diwali Gift it would be appropriate for the occasion, but if it isn't you can still share it and win the $100 gift card. Once again based on the number of responses winners will be chosen by a draw of lots and all comments posted before 2pm CST on saturday October 16, 2010 will be eligible for the drawing.
This offer is exclusive for residents of United States. If there are more than one correct answers, winner will be chosen by draw of lots.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Season of Gifts, Joy and Love
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5 comments:
You have a great site. I have been to Bangalore and love the city. Keep up the good work!
Hi,
You have captured the giving spirit of Diwali very well. My most favorite memories are from the time when I was an adolescent growing up in India. All our friends would get together and celebrate as one family. This unfortunately doesn't happen in the US. At least not in the city I am at...
You know I have always enjoyed giving and receiving gifts especially during festive occasions. Your post set me off on a train of memories of the past.
I have been lucky in life to find few people besides my family who have showered me with gifts of love and affection. Personally the value of any gift doesn't matter much to me. It is the thought behind that matters.
My best gifts have always been intangible ones, those that can't be valued with money or material things. For example when my friend bought a second hand book because I had mentioned that I wanted to read it in one of our conversations.
-Suresh J
Hi,
Interesting blog. When i was young, the morning of Diwali becomes so much exciting with the money i get after i get blessings from my parents, grans and uncles. Those times it was just the gift that was important, and now I feel something more than the gift, we enjoyed that I miss now.
A good blog that brought festival mood already! :)
Diwali is my favourite festival of all. I have around 12 cousins and we all would meet up at my grand parents house for Diwali celebration for almost a week. We used to enjoy the crackers, Indian sweets and special TV shows together.. It was a fun filled event. The best gift was the joy and laughter that I had during Diwali. Everyone would be at their best not worrying about school or work!! This is my Thala Diwali (first Diwali after my wedding), so my mom is gifting us gold jewels and dresses and that would be my best gift of all.
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