AAunty Blog
Guides and tips for shopping from India - package forwarding, consolidation, sarees, gifts and everything in between.
How to Buy from Indian Instagram Boutiques When You Live Abroad
Instagram is where the most beautiful Indian clothes, jewellery and home items are sold - and most of those sellers only ship within India. Here is how to buy from any of them, wherever you live.
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Indian Ethnic Wear That Survives a Canadian Winter: Velvet, Pashmina and What to Buy from India for -20°C
Dressing for a wedding, a Diwali function or the gurdwara at -20°C is a Canada-first problem. Here is which Indian ethnic wear actually survives the cold - and what to buy from India to stay warm without ruining the look.
2 min read
Karva Chauth in Canada: Getting Your Sargi Thali, Karwa and Suhaag Set from India Before the Fast
Karva Chauth is one festival that is literally an India-to-Canada shipping story - the sargi is sent by the mother-in-law from home. Here is how to get the karwa, chalni, thali and suhaag set to your door before the fast.
2 min read
Planning an Anand Karaj in Canada: Phulkari, Jutti and the Wedding Pieces You Can Only Get from Punjab
The phulkari from Patiala, the juttis from Amritsar, the dastar cloth in exactly the right shade - the pieces that make an Anand Karaj are sold by small Punjab boutiques that do not ship abroad. Here is how to get them to Canada.
2 min read
Baby's First Milestones, the Indian Way: Silver Gifts, Jhablas and Nazariya Sourced from India
A new baby, and the grandparents in India are desperate to do things properly - the silver nazariya, the first jhabla, the naamkaran gifts. None of it is at Target. Here is how to get the first blessings from home to a baby growing up abroad.
2 min read
Buying Gold and Fine Jewellery from India for a Wedding Abroad: A Trust and Shipping Guide
Gold from India is the piece your grandmother would have chosen, from the jeweller your family has trusted for decades. But that jeweller does not ship abroad, and buying something this valuable sight-unseen feels like a leap. Here is how to do it with confidence.
2 min read
Care Packages from Home: What to Send Indian Students in Canada and the USA (and What Gets Stuck)
A homesick student has a very specific cure: the masala their cooking needs, snacks from the shop near home, a kurta for the dorm Diwali party. Here is how to send a care package from India that clears customs and actually helps.
2 min read
Raksha Bandhan for NRI Families: Real Rakhis, Mithai and Puja Thalis Delivered to Canada or the USA
The rakhi you actually want, tied to mithai from the right halwai, is sold in India - not at an Indian grocery abroad. Here is how to get the real thing to your brother or sister in Canada or the USA, in time.
2 min read
Customs, Duty and the New Rules: What NRIs Pay to Ship from India to the USA and Canada
The rules on what you pay when a parcel from India lands in Canada or the USA have tightened. The biggest mistake NRIs make now is being surprised by a duty bill at the door. Here is how it actually works - and how to keep the cost predictable.
3 min read
Sending Gifts from India to Family in Canada or the USA: The Complete Guide
Sending a meaningful Indian gift to family in Canada or the USA is more complicated than it should be - customs thresholds, food restrictions, and the hassle of international shipping from India. Here is how to do it smarter.
4 min read