Monday, February 18, 2008

The Battle of Confetti - opening salvo

Off we go to ChinaMart, where mum can indulge her best-price antics.

aside- I cringe when she does this, and still get night-frights from the Bhamjee's Shoes shop name-drop debacle (no, we're not related to the family that owns the store, however this did not deter my mum from mentioning that I am late Abdul's grand-daughter, who used to be a friend of the family. Yes, we did get a discount. Yes, I was a walking vat of essence of mortification. Mummy, I know you're reading this.)

So there we were at ChinaMart having just stumbled upon a store that sold gift bags and papercraft-goodie-things for cheep-cheep.
Our mission that Saturday morning was to shop for wedding favour stuff.
I hate when people give ornamenty-garbage clutter at weddings. I know it's the thought that counts, but how about one that actively engaged some sentient process? The cabinet in our lounge is filled with such crap of this ilk; kitschy plastic fruit floating in a bottle, a little white porcelain ribboned giftbox that looked much like a Lilliput coffin, a cloudy chocolate mould my gran wouldn't eat because there was some prayer written on it in gold dust and about a million shot glasses which your typical teetotal-ling muslim family will never find a use for, all sandblasted with something along the line of "Thank you for sharing with us the day we finally get to shag without incurring hell-fire."

With all of that in mind, we decided on something a bit more utilitarian. But even utilitarian needs to look a bit pretty and flouncy for a wedding. Which is why mum and I were squashed in the corner of the overstocked shop digging through a box falling over with organza circles that niftily pull together to form a pretty and flouncy wrapping.

I managed to find something that wasn't too garish. However, mum wanted the organza with the big gold hearts. Big gold hearts are just ghagha to me. And big gold hearts on wedding favours are the ghagha-est of anything ghagha ever. If you don't know what ghagha means, think about big gold hearts emblazoned on gold organza, that's ghagha.

At this point I ducked her and went to look at the cardcraft stuff instead. I shouted over a box of wire-butterflies that I did not want the ghagha gold organza heart wrapping. The chinese lady at the door smiled to herself. Perhaps this was not the first time she had witnessed such mother and daughter exchanges.

My mum insisted. I was incensed.
She had that tone in her voice.
I'm a dutiful daughter.
We compromised.
We walked out with 100 ghagha organza circles printed with big gold hearts.

17 comments:

Waseem said...

This post is typically Saaleha, there can be no greater compliment :)

Anonymous said...

i didn't know what organza was. now, if all goes according to plan, i'll be getting organza curtains in one of our rooms.

should i be worried?

Saaleha Idrees Bamjee said...

Make sure you get really good organza fabric because the cheaper ones will disintegrate after extended sun-exposure.

-sigh- what is this I have become. A pox on you Martha Stewart!

Gill said...

I had a sense of deja vu reading this post. I can clearly remember similar outings with my mum before my wedding...quite excrutiating!

Prixie said...

shot glasses given at muslim weddings? i had to read that twice! ;p

all indian homes have that cabinet with kitsch ghagha wedding tributes. If I go to a wedding (on those rare occasions) and the thing ain't user friendly, it finds it's new home in the bin.

I once found a bride to be happily picking uo shiny organza things at a Chinamart with her parents. She looked happy and I looked at her in confusion.

happy W planning

M Junaid said...

if i had an award for blog of the week.. i'd pawn it for pizza, but if i havent, i'd give it to you :)

whats with honey at weddings anyway? thanks for coming - have a jar of thistlewoods finest. my wedding im giving marmalade. its an acquired taste - but i'd love it if someone gave me marmalade at their wedding

Zee said...

Tell me about Kitch stuff that people give at weddings. Plain and simple and pretty is nice - not fancy schmancy and over the top...

Happy Wedding Planning...

blue

Nafisa said...

how sweet ;)

Reminds me of when I was getting married - one thing I couldnt compromise was putting mendhi. I cant stand the smell of it and if my husband didnt like it either, what was the point?

Muhammad said...

"Thank you for sharing with us the day we finally get to shag without incurring hell-fire."


LOL!!!! Classic!

ExMi said...

organza is the bomb. love it....:)

ps: you should join twenty-something-bloggers.

http://20somethings.ning.com/

desperate need for more south african ppl there.

come on...

sara said...

Ahh! That's not a compromise!!! Gag! Great post tho. Just the laugh i needed on this dreary weds morning in the office!

Anonymous said...

An interesting account of the trials and tribulations a bride to be has to go thru, when all the groom has to decide is what suit he is gonna wear.........ghagha could also be explained perhaps as a groom in an organza suit.......damn that will be a sight for sore eyes.......

On the note of the dutiful daughter.....someday, u will look upon this encounter rather fondly, and be appreciative of ur dutifulness :-)

Anonymous said...

TCO

Anonymous said...

Do what I did...make the groom sort out the favours.
Btw, did u get the CD?

bb_aisha said...

nooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

'liya said...

Enjoy the planning (and make the guy do some stuff too!) :D

Anonymous said...

:)
very cool blog

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