At all these functions I talked about, lots of gifts are bound to be received. And how to know who has given what? A big package may not necessarily contain an expensive gift, and vice versa, a small package may have something very dear.

In my times, families, before attending a function of another family member or friend, had the habit of looking into their ‘records’ of what that family member or friend had given as a gift when they had conducted their own functions. Efforts would be made to match that. And how are these records maintained?

A ‘reliable’ person in the family is always saddled with this bookkeeping job. Mark the word ‘reliable’—you don’t want expensive gifts to be carted away, right? And invariably, this person will be there always during any function conducted by that family. Come gifting time, and this person will be ready with a big notebook and pen and will be sitting beside the person receiving the gift. If you watch carefully, you can see the gift receiver robotically, after receiving the gift, extending his hand towards this collector who would snatch it from him and verify if the name of the gifted is mentioned. If not, they would note it and then record it in the notebook. If it happens to be gift-wrapped, it has to be opened later after the function is over, and the type of the actual gift would be noted in the notebook for future reference and posterity. Sometimes cash may be given. This had to be added up and matched with actual cash and handed over to the person conducting the function.

In a wedding especially, such gifts are handed over either at the time of the ‘muhurtham’ or during the reception. On both occasions, this person can be seen sitting with sweat pouring out, frantically collecting the gift items and cash and scribbling in the notebook. And safe keeping them till handing over is done and the strenuous responsibility discharged.

Continued in 280. Who And What - The Gift Book - Part 2