If you have grown up with a brother, you know how special that bond is. Siblings spend their childhood together. They see each other grow up into the individuals that you are. They fight, but the fights never last that long. They complain but team up time and time again for all mischiefs. They mostly dislike each other but never stop loving each other. And not to mention all the annoyance they cause to each other: with constant blabbering, fights for that particular spot on the couch, the snitching to parents, devouring the food you saved to eat later, constantly asking you to get water and the list goes on. But they also bring so much joy to your life. None of your childhood games would have been complete without them. Be it the afternoons dedicated to video games or the evening cricket matches. They may have snitched on you from time to time, but a lot more than that they have stood beside you and taken the fall together. They have been there, by your side, celebrating all things good and in support for all things that went wrong.
While each day is a festival when your sibling is around, RAKSHA BANDHAN is a day specially dedicated to that. Brothers may be annoyingly and overly protective sometimes, but it all comes from a place of love. This love: the sacred relationship a brother and sister have, must be celebrated. One of the saddest parts about growing up is we branch out into different things and different lives. It means we aren’t able to spend as much time with our siblings as we would like. Raksha Bandhan has always been the occasion that allows you to take a day off and live it like the good old days with your brother or sister. It might be a little difficult to celebrate it like you always have; these are difficult times but don’t lose hope. As they say, where there is a will, there's away. So whether you can celebrate it together or have to do it from miles apart, here are five unique ways that can make your Raksha Bandhan even more special.
1. RAKHI AND GIFTS
The first thing you need to sort; is what you're doing about the rakhi and gifts this year. You know the basics. The essentials for celebrating this festival are: one, a rakhi from the sister along with something sweet, a coconut and a handkerchief and two, the brother returns this gesture with a promise to protect the sister forever and gifts. The tradition has been to buy all of these things a few days before from the local market but times have changed. As per the current scenario, we suggest you either go DIY or online to prepare for Rakhi this year. While there are numerous tutorial videos on making beautiful rakhis/gifts and online portals to buy them, ChocoCraft offers a unique solution to combine your creativity with the ease of online shopping. All you have to do is put on your creative hat and think of the kind of personalisation you’d require for the Personalised Rakhi Gifts we make. With your inputs and our expertise, we create unique personalised rakhis and chocolates that are delivered for free across the country.
2. SPENDING THE DAY TOGETHER
What is your favourite thing to do together? Is it watching a good film, preparing a gourmet dinner, going out partying or just staying in and chilling? Or perhaps something that you haven’t been able to find time to be able to do: like a bro-sis gossip session? Think of something that you both enjoy together, just keep everything aside and do that. Again, we strongly urge it’d be best if it can be done in the safety of your homes. And what can’t some good food and the great company of your sibling make better? So once you are done with the traditional rituals of the festival, go ahead and have a siblings day in.
3 TRADITIONAL RITUALS WITH A MODERN TWIST
If you are having to celebrate Raksha Bandhan virtually then it already has a modern twist to it. What to do? Such are the times. But this doesn’t mean it has to be boring. A well thought of and prepared virtual meet can be as fun as the good old in-person one. The festivities don’t have to stop. You can still conduct the puja and wish each other the best over video calls. It is where the wonderful world of the internet will come in handy. You can proceed to a virtual game of Pictionary or charades with your family. And these are just two of the many, many multiplayer games out there. You just have to explore and find the one you all will enjoy.
4. REVISITING YOUR CHILDHOOD
If there is any place where your childhood lives intact it is the photo albums. And, if you are looking forward to a trip down the memory lane with your sibling then these are a goldmine. All your pictures from the years before sitting in that album or drive ready to remind of the stories behind each of those pictures. You can not only just visit old pictures but turn the best ones into a gift. There are online services that help you make your photo book. That surely will make a great gift for Raksha Bandhan. You can even get the stories from your childhood converted into a personalised comic. Won’t it be fun to have your own comic? You can create a lovely collage or video to be shared with everyone whether you meet in person or virtually.
5. A GOOD DEED
And finally, it’s always good to spread happiness in your happy times. If you have been fortunate enough to be in a position to live and celebrate life with your near and dear ones, it’d be nice to make a difference in the life of someone who hasn’t had those privileges. A unique way to celebrate Rakhsha Bandhan would be to identify a charity of your liking and make a donation towards a cause you support. The festival stands for love and protection, maybe turning this symbolism into action by a small contribution to covid relief or to help those who have been protecting us in the pandemic; the healthcare workers.
HAPPY AND SAFE RAKSHA BANDHAN!