COVID-19 has transformed our perception of normalcy and forced us all out of our comfort zones to reassess what is truly real, important to us. The answer to such questions usually boils down to the well-being and happiness of our family and friends. Celebrating life’s big and small moments with them has acquired even more meaning now. This Diwali however will be different from any other because of the pandemic and so we have a few unusual ideas for you to surprise your favourite people with.

You could gift a streaming service subscription to make a loved one look forward to unexplored fresh content. Or surprise them with an online subscription to informative platforms where expert professionals teach courses in virtually every subject under the sun. For your foodie friends, delicious subscriptions from bakeries and gourmet companies would be perfect. For your socially aware, artistic friend, choose hand-crafted gifts from sites that help artisans through the hardship of the pandemic.

Yet another unusual idea is gifting a shout out from a star. Be it stars like Meet Bros who are award-winning music composers, singers and electrifying live performers or actors like Ashmit Patel, Sophie Choudry and Delnaaz Irani, every celebrity is now reaching out to their fans in a more personalised way. So why not gift a special message from a celebrity to your special someone via a platform like myFanPark? As Meet Bros put it, “Fans are family and it is a privilege to connect with them without filters. Diwali has gone digital this time but the spirit remains the same and a platform like myFanPark has enabled us to bring joy to so many of our fans.”

Ashmit Patel adds, “It is far more meaningful to communicate directly with a fan and thankfully, myFanPark has been enabling me to do just that. This is a new and refreshing way to connect with those who like our work and are so generous with their warmth and admiration. The least I can do is to reciprocate their affection in some way, especially during the festive season.”

South African start-up app myFanPark was launched in India recently and is part of the increasing popular e-entertainment trend of delivering personalised video shout-outs of motivation, inspiration and joy from celebrities like DJ Shaan, Esha Gupta, Jay Bhanushali, Prateik Babbar, sportsmen like Manan Vohra, players from the Indian Super League, popular musicians like Raghav Meattle, and a host of other names.

So spread the joy this festive season with a unique, thoughtful, heartfelt message and make someone’s day.