Gadgets as gifts steal a march over roses & cards this Valentine's Day

PUNE: The countdown to Valentine's Day has begun and from gifts to special dinners to customised travelling, each year couples seem to be getting more adventurous with the ways of professing love.
And while gifts once meant mushy stuff like teddy bears and diamonds - if you could afford them - today the concept has undergone a sea change. Some of the most sought after gifts today are gadgets.
Manas Karn has bought a Macbook for his fiancée, who is a designer. "This will definitely be a useful gift for Adwaita. To be honest, I don't think many people, other than maybe college-going youngsters, appreciate mushy gifts. A gift is something that brings you happiness and is also useful to you," he says.
On the other hand, Adwaita has zeroed in on a male boxer pup for Manas. "He loves dogs and has wanted to get a boxer for quite some time. Rather than get him a boring shirt for Valentine's Day, this will be a thoughtful gift," she says.
Namita Pednekar has bought a set of customised pen drives for her fiancé. "It seems like the perfect gift; he always seems to be running out of pen drives as he is either saving music or movies or office data on them," she adds. Namita also hopes that her fiancé has taken her many not-so-subtle hints about getting her special cellphone speakers that can act like an amplifier.
Technology is not the only winner this year. If couples are to be believed, many will be home this Saturday cooking a special dinner for their Valentine.
Says Shayak Dutta, an IT engineer, "This Valentine's Day, I'm going to cook an entire meal for Purvi. She will be stumped as usually, I don't even make my own tea! But I have roped in my elder sister and she has helped me hone a few dishes. I'm sure Purvi will be impressed."
Purvi on the other hand has bought a grooming kit for Shayak. "A perfect gift for him, as he is always experimenting with his look," she says.
Like Shayak, there are many who have taken the plunge to learn some kitchen skills. While some are enlisting the help of relatives, others are going in for special short-term cookery classes.
Monika Gulati, a professional home baker who also conducts bakery classes, says, "This year, I have had quite a few students who want to learn how to bake the perfect cake for their special someone. Though, it is mostly women who come to learn, I have also had a couple of guys donning the apron."
Monika says the most in-demand cake is the red velvet cake followed by the moist chocolate cake with a buttercream topping. "Learning just one particular cake does not really take time. Weekend classes are enough for those who know how to cook. For freshers, I would recommend one week," she says.
Then there are some adventurous couples like Chitra and Rishi Pawar who are planning to hit the road this weekend. They are biking down to Goa to celebrate their first Valentine's Day after getting married. On the way, they plan to sample some hardcore dhaba food and then laze around in the beach shacks of Goa.
So, whether it is technology, special meals, a five-star ambience or a road trip, let your imagination soar and paint the town pink.