By Manik Gupta
New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI)

The roads are jammed and shops chock-a-block as people make beelines for malls and markets to grab just the perfect gift to make the festival of lights a memorable affair for their loved ones.
    Dinner sets, beauty hampers, gourmet food baskets, electronic gadgets, and the ever reliable chocolates and mithai, the options are endless for the fervent Diwali shoppers but the task is to balance budgets with big expectations.
    Samriti Khanna, a homemaker in her 30s, knows it too well as she treads the fine line between temptation and staying within budget.
    "The temptation to give innovative and expensive gifts to your near and dear ones is always there but one can't go out of budget too. The key is in finding the right balance," Khanna told PTI.
    On her shopping list is an eclectic mix of home decor for friends, smartwatch for her husband, board games for children and home appliances for house helps.
    "Gifting during the Diwali festival comes with a huge responsibility. I guess zeroing in on budget and what to give to whom is never easy, and I doubt if anyone has mastered it," she added.
    The festive season has always been the favourite time of the year for businesses and this year is no different as leading players in the online and offline retail sector are expecting “resounding sales”.
    While Bikano, a leading name in the traditional snack market, has set a mammoth "Rs 300 crores plus" year-end target in the festive season, Surya Roshni, a lighting and consumer durable company, explained how a large proportion of their sales, accounting to about "30 per cent", happens during this period.
    "When it comes to the festivities, most people tend to spend more than usual, which is somewhat of a distinct period when the purchasing tendencies flout all the rules,” Jitendra Agrawal, ceo of Surya Roshni, said.
    He added that it's not just the urban centres but the semi-urban centres have also been “recording steady growth” in the festive period.
    Chirag Gupta, founder and ceo of premium snacking company 4700BC, is upbeat about this year's demand, witnessing a "20-25 per cent" increase for its festive gourmet hampers.
    The festival season has set the cash registers ringing for brands selling their wares online. And like previous years, the online sector continues to garner strong demand.
    For instance, online marketplace Snapdeal witnessed a "1.8X growth" in order volumes during the festive sale.
    "Women's fashion (2.5 X growth), children's fashion (2X growth) and home decor (1.6X increase) are among the categories that saw significant increase compared to the previous year," a Snapdeal spokesperson said.
    In addition to buying physical gifts, shoppers have come to rely on digital gift cards that offer minimum inconvenience and enticing discounts.
    Gift cards are not just hassle free for the ones gifting but also allow the recipients the freedom of choice.
    Tata Neu's gift card marketplace, which offers a diverse range of gifting options from high-value electronics to everyday essentials like food and travel, said the category has become very popular on their platform with "over 50 per cent" of existing customers returning frequently to make purchases.
    Revelling in the festive spirit are also the alcohol brands, with many ditching conventional gift choices such as bed linen or crockery sets for spirits.
    Major players in the breweries and distilleries industry, such as DeVANS Modern Breweries Ltd and Radico Khaitan, are witnessing growing demand and bumper sales. They have launched new variants and festive packs for their premium products.
    Mocktail brand Swizzle has also recorded a noticeable uptick of 25 per cent in the sales last month.
    Last year, according to figures by the excise department, 64 lakh liquor bottles worth about Rs 121 crore were bought by people in Delhi in just three days running up to Diwali.
    "One of the reasons liquor has emerged as a preferred gifting choice during festivals is its strong association with celebration and social gatherings.
    "This year, we hope for this trend to continue and will show sustained growth in alcohol sales, fuelled by an expanding customer base and a heightened interest in distinctive beverage experiences," said Amar Sinha, Chief Operating Officer at Radico Khaitan Limited.
    Gifting an "experience" in Diwali also has its own loyal takers.
    Instead of delivering a package to the loved ones, many are opting to give them a break from the daily hustle by booking an exclusive staycation at five-star hotels and resorts.
    The Claridges, for instance, has an array of staycation offers at its different properties in picturesque Uttarakhand, with packages starting at Rs 20,000 inclusive of breakfast, one major meal and an o