Friendship Day: Youngsters spoilt for choice

PATNA: Friendship Day is just around the corner and Patnaites are spoilt for choice when it comes to gifts. From colourful bands and customized gifts to coffee mugs and greeting cards — everything is available in gift stores.
Makeshift stalls, selling multi-coloured threads with stones and beads, metallic bands with friendship messages, bracelets and ribbons, have also come up at prominent locations in the city.They cost anywhere between Rs 30 and Rs 150.
According to Anshul Poddar, a gift shop owner on Exhibition Road, customized coffee mugs, wind chimes and magnetic couple key rings are in demand this year. “We have received 11 orders for printing personal pictures, logos, names or messages on wind chimes, glass bowls and coffee mugs. Glass jars, which range between Rs 60 and Rs 200 per piece depending on their size, are also in demand,” he said.
Another gift shop owner, Guddu Singh, told this reporter, school kids usually bought greeting cards and friendship bands while collegians demanded decorative gift items like clocks, jelly candles, small showpieces, hanging photo frames and cards. “Showpieces are available from Rs 250 to Rs 2,800, while the price of friendship bands ranges from Rs 50 to Rs 320. Greetings cards can be bought by paying anywhere between Rs 80 and Rs 500,” Singh said.
Meanwhile, youngsters have started making plans for Friendship Day which will be celebrated this Sunday.
St Xavier’s College student Minati Sen will visit monasteries, temples and monuments in Bodh Gaya with her friends. “I am excited for the trip as my friends will accompany me,” she said, adding she had bought friendship bands for them.
Notre Dame Academy’s Class XI student Sanya Sinha will spend time with her five best friends this Sunday. She said, “It is good that Friendship Day falls on Sundays. My pals and I will watch a film at a theatre and eat lunch together.”
Patna Women’s College student Lakshmi Sinha wants to make her buddies feel special on Friendship Day. “I have bought some photo frames, mugs and cushions with our pictures printed on them,” she said.