It's an age-old dilemma, choosing a perfect present for a person who has everything. If you’ve run out of ideas, why not turn to Nature? Say, an exotic butterfly can make an charming gift, especially in the middle of winter.

As Russian incomes are rising, fantasy-inspired presents get more and more popular. And gift companies are ready to give a hand to those in a dilemma.

Irina Lemkina could never guess what her boyfriend would bring her on her birthday.

“It's an insect,” suggested the guy as a clue, “and you’ll have to watch out not to hurt it.”

Natalya Korzhueva owns a gift-shop in St Petersburg. She says that it’s mostly young men who order butterflies for their girlfriends, wives or friends. “Butterflies are also bought as presents for weddings, sometimes for birthdays and corporate parties”, says Mr Korzhueva, because “flowers are very common, jewellery is always difficult, perfume is a very personal choice, and here you can choose a butterfly to make your lady gasp in surprise and remember it for a long time.”
 
Irina Lemkina, for one, didn’t fail to appreciate her boy-friend’s present. “To get them in winter, it's like a dream,” says she. “It's magic!”
 
There’s only one problem, most butterflies only live for three to 10 days. But pleasant memories are sure to long survive them.