The spirit of festival has, like every thing else, become very generic. In the past different festivals represented different things/events. Diwali represented the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya; Christmas represented the birth of Jesus Christ and was celebrated as such. Now the spirit of every festival is common—shopping.

The spirit of festival is now brought to us by big corporations and local businesses. Diwali is the time to buy gifts for people "shining bright lamps for people you love". Diwali no longer represents the return of Lord Ram. Diwali represents the headaches you experience while shopping for presents. In most cases the gifts are given out of social obligation rather than any love or affection. We don't try to find gifts that would mean something to the person or something that would reflect the spirit if the festival. We are looking for something that is inexpensive and still looks okay enough to be presented to someone.

We end up buying gifts that would remain packed forever. The person has no use for the decorative penguin you have given him and you already have enough coffee mugs, glass bowls and rusting steel tumblers so you also shove them in a dark corned of your house. The gifts remain in the attic and are taken out only when you have to give something to the maidservant or the woman who collects your garbage.

Christmas represents the costume of Santa Clause that you are supposed to put on your kids party. Christmas represents the stockings you are supposed to fill with presents. Christmas represents the consumer products that are the "ideal" gifts for the season. It's the birthday of Jesus who?

We are spending money on buying useless gifts and still come across as "cheep relatives" who gave you crap for Diwali. So why the hell are we indulging in something we don't even want to practice. Why can't we just call up the person and wish them a Happy Diwali or Merry Christmas and let it rest there.

I remember when I was a kid and the people in my part of the world were spared of the bombardment of ads on TV and other media. Diwali in those days meant the sweets that were made in the home, the fireworks, the lamps we lit in our homes and the temple. Now it represents a headache that we have to go through every year. Thinking of what to buy as presents for people and then getting stuck in the traffic jams while going to people house to give those gifts.