Diwali: A Time to Get Together and Celebrate as a Family
Diyas, new clothes, gifts, sweets, crackers - Diwali brings everything fun.
It is that time of the year when everyone gets a short but welcome break from routine life. But what makes it truly special is the chance to get together with family and friends for a few days of boisterous celebrations. The anticipation builds a few days in advance as preparations start for the festival – cleaning and decking up the house, buying gifts and making yummy goodies. If you looking to make this Diwali memorable with special gifts, then read on, we have some great options picked out for you!
4 Tips to Choose Thoughtful Gifts for Your Family This Diwali
- Gift for a Whole Family or an Individual?:
Gifts are an important part of Diwali. Gifts are exchanged not only between immediate family members but also extended family. Indeed, a major aspect of Diwali involves relatives going to each other’s’ homes to exchange greetings and gifts. Depending on the relationship or the situation, your gifts may be for an entire family or for a specific person. Obviously this will affect the gift you choose. Gifts for a whole family will necessarily have to be something that’ll appeal all of them, but in case of individuals, you will need to change to options that cater to that person alone. - Consider Their Lifestyle and Interests:
Boxes of sweets or dry fruits are the traditional Diwali gifts. While this always remains an option, take a little bit of effort to find a unique gift this Diwali. Gifts are often seen as a way to show how much you value a relationship. That is why it makes sense to find something that fits into the giftee’s specific interests or lifestyle. For example, if your cousin is a coffee addict, a French press coffee maker will delight him. He will love that you took time to buy something just for him! - Find Something Memorable:
With virtually no limit to choices in gifts, you may be tempted to give up and buy the most convenient thing. However, a gift given from the heart will be cherished by your family members. Spend a little time on online stores or in your nearby mall to move beyond the standard Diwali gifts of clothing or boring gift hampers. A memorable gift one that is meaningful and shows you care about the relationship. Options you can explore are interesting gadgets, home decor stuff or exotic Diwali items. - Add Something Handmade:
For your loved ones, show your caring with the addition of something handmade while handing over your gift. This can be as simple as a small box of sweets or savouries made by you. Or perhaps diyas that have been decorated by you. The small gesture adds a personal touch that makes your gift all the more special
11 Unique Diwali Gift Ideas to Please Your Family
Exotic Diwali Gift Hampers for Family
Lotus Tea and Candle Hamper
A gift set with a difference. The Lotus Tea Hamper offers a chance to savour an unusual flower essence. The gift box contains a 100 gm pack of specially blended Divine Lotus Green Tea which features sweet basil and natural honey flavours giving the tea sweet, mellow and floral tones.
Accompanying it is a natural lotus scented candle, that adds a festive touch to the gift. Rejuvenating and relaxing, the sweet and floral aroma uplifts the mood. The set is available for Rs.1,500 from teatrunk.in.
Glee of Exotic Gourmet
This huge gift hamper is perfect for a large family. Containing a wide range of gourmet food items, the gift pack will delight even the most discerning of your relatives. Packed in a basket, the hamper contains an eclectic blend of savoury snacks (peanuts, nachos), chocolates (Mars and Ferrero Rocher), chocolate cookies, as well as 5 different exotic non-alcoholic beverages . A gift to bring cheer to not only the young ones of the family but also the elders. Available at fnp.com for Rs.8,799
If you are looking for a healthier option, then the Wholesome Snacking - Gift Hamper available at Natures Basket is a wonderful choice. The gift pack contains an interesting mix of healthy snacking options like pumpkin seeds, jowar flakes, tea, roasted nuts and organic honey, all of which comes packed in a classy Champagne Gold box. You can find this gift hamper at naturesbasket.co.in for Rs.3,935.
The Diwali Festive Hamper from GourmetCompany is also a great choice, available on the site for Rs. 2.590(delivery extra),
Yummy Cupcakes Diwali Platter
Give a twist to the standard Diwali gift of sweets by opting for a customised platter of cupcakes. Besieged by the same old sweets everywhere, your family members will love the chance to bite into fluffy, scrumptious cupcakes.
Decorated with quintessential Diwali themes these cupcakes are available on order from wishacupcake.com. You have a choice of 6 flavours to choose from ranging from plain vanilla to red velvet. The website delivers the cupcakes across a wide range of cities, making it a convenient option. These are priced at Rs.1,800 for 9 pieces.
Devotional Gifts for the Elderly and the Devout
Divine Idols
Beautiful idols of Lord Ganesha and Godess Lakshmi are always welcome during Diwali. For your eldery relatives, why not look for sets that add positivity and prosperity to their homes? Take a look at this set of terrocota figurines embellished with gold. Away from the usual, this is an elegant piece that they can keep either in their mandir or in the drawing room. Availble on pepperfry.com for Rs. 1,699.
Laxmi Gold Coin with Silver Flower Diya
Make Diwali even more auspicious by gifting your family member with this gold gift set. The gift pack contains one 22k gold coin embossed with Goddess Lakshmi and an elegant flower shaped pure silver diya. This traditional gift is perfect for elderly relatives who will appreciate your good wishes for prosperity and luck. It is available for Rs.3,599 from gifts2indiaonline.com.
Trendy Gifts for the Modern Family
Elegant Table Lamp with Speaker
This elegant gift is sure to be a hit with family members who love stylish accessories. Featuring the latest tech, this cute desk lamp can be operated with touch. Yes, just tap to switch on or off, or to brighten or dim the light! Surely a cool gadget that will delight your family.
But there is more. The lamp can acts as a speaker so music can be played via a phone. It has a height of around 25 cm, and is easily portable, allowing it to be carried to anyplace needed. A definitely handy option for home and offices. Powered by lithium battery, the lamp can be recharged via USB. It is available for Rs.1,999 from hitplay.in.
Smart Wearables
Its the era of smart wearables, and a fitness tracker is a highly useful gift idea that will be appreciated by both the young and the old. Fitness bands help keep track of important health parameters in real time. The Fitbit Charge 3 can track steps, activity levels, calories burnt, sleep statistics while acting as a regular timepiece. When paired with a phone, the gadget can also show alerts from selected apps.
Fitbit is one of the top brands in fitness bands but there are several other options available today. So you can pick based on your preferences and budget. Prices for fitness trackers from well-known brands typically start at Rs.1,400.
This particular Fitbit model is available at amazon.in for Rs.11,499. There are three size options - small, large and extra large.
Hand Blown Spectra Glass Tumbler Set
Cookware and Serveware sets are a traditional option to gift near and dear ones during Diwali. There's tons to choose from classy mug sets to latest design dinner sets.
The Spectra Tumblers are an amazing gifting idea for those in your family who like the finer things in life. These hand blown glass tumblers are part of an exclusive baroque styled collection from Sagaform, a Scandinavian brand. A truly standout addition to any bar, these glasses come in varying shades of blue, green and grey, and have a capacity of 50 ml. The set of 4 tumblers can be purchased at thevault.in for Rs.3,199.
Useful Appliances
Appliances yet again are a top Diwali gifting trend, precisely because of how useful they are. You can either look for kitchen appliances like coffee machines or air fryers, or something for the house as a whole. One of the latest ideas to consider are air purifiers. Given just how crazy pollution has become across our country, investing in an air purifier has become a good idea.
Check out this sleek Car Purifier from Honeywell, a practical and handy gift for any one in the family! Given how long we spend in cars, this is a definite good purchase. Available for Rs. 4,999 on Amazon.
Gifts to Brighten Up Diwali
Elegant Metallic Gold Tealight Candle Holders Set
Decking up the house in gorgeous lights, diyas and candles readies it for Diwali. This elegant set of gold candle holders with scented candles is lovey option for your family. This set comes with 3 sizes of holders - one large, one medium and one small. There's also 12 Scented Tealight Candles included in the package. A fragrant gift indeed! You can get this charging gift option on lighthauscandle.com for Rs.1,290.
Orange Flower Diffuser Set
A gift that will spread the delicate aroma of orange flowers. This aromatherapy set by Soul Flower is a slightly offbeat gift that can be charming to the right person. It features several different products that bring alive the fragrance of orange flowers - a bottle of orange essential oil (15 ml), a ceramic aroma diffuser, a coaster and two tea light scented candles. There are other floral scent options available - lemongrass, lavender or lemon, so you can pick out the one you think will be liked best. This refreshing gifting option is available for Rs.1,000 at pepperfry.com.
Decorative Brass Crystal Lamp Holder
Yet another simple gifting suggestion that’s particularly apt for the festival of lights. This crystal and brass tea light holder is an elegant gift for family members. Covered with clear crystals (of plastic) an ethereal light is thrown when a lit candle is placed inside, creating a beautiful glow. There are varying sizes and shapes available, so pick as per your style. The smallest size of the holder is 11 x 8.89 cm and it holds one candle. Prices start at Rs.286 onwards, and it can be ordered on Amazon.
Lord Ganesha Candle Tea Light Holder Stoneware
Decorative candles and diyas remain a popular low key gifting option on Diwali. After all everyone loves lighting them on the festival day. This stonware hold features a lovely depiction of Lord Ganesha on a tile with a tea light holder at the botton. Priced at Rs.549 at Flipkart.
Bonus: Suggestions to Make Diwali with Your Family Unforgettable
Our day-today grind takes a toll – we spend time juggling chores and responsibilities hardly getting time to come together and spend time with our extended family. The festival of lights gives a fantastic opportunity to sit back, catch up and spend some hours of fun and laughter. This naturally provides a chance to make memories that last a lifetime and strengthen the bond between the family members.
Get the Kids to Show Their Creativity with Handmade Diyas and Rangoli
Diwali is one of the yearly occasions when extended families spend time together. What better way to make the time fun and memorable than by engaging in group activities.
Get the kids into the spirit of Diwali by engaging them in exciting yet simple projects to decorate the house for the festival. They can be asked to decorate store bought diyas using paint or embellishments. Alternatively they can learn or practice their rangoli skills inside and outside the house. What a joy it will be to see their creativity light up the house! The activity is also an opportunity for kids to bond together and get actively involved in the festival.
Go for a Day Long Family Trip
Throwing a feast, hogging on delicious food, and burning fireworks makes for a fun Diwali. But to make Diwali all the more memorable consider a short trip with your extended family. If not on Diwali the trip can be undertaken the day or two after. The trip can be as simple as going to a nearby resort or amusement park. The togetherness and camaraderie experienced is sure to bring the family closer and create loads of special memories.
If you cannot pull off a trip away from home, a shopping trip can be a good substitute. Although the crazy traffic common during Diwali could be a problem, the beautifully lit up markets, malls and buildings offer a wonderful way to soak in the Diwali mood. Not to say of the exciting sales that all stores put up during Diwali!
Throw a Music and Dance Party
Bring close family and friends together with a Bollywood Music and Dance Party. Many families in North India do host a night of card parties, but this is a party that even kids can enjoy. Hire a DJ or make a playlist yourself and let loose. Everyone will love a chance to shake a leg and make merry!
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Keep your phones away for a day!
Consider it a challenge! But in all honesty, when was the last anything you went for where everybody wasn't behaving like their lives revolved around their smartphones? The only problem is asking people to keep their beloved phones away will lead to a protest and perhaps even a boycott of the festivities so you need to come up with creative ideas, emotional blackmail or an appeal to their curious side to see how a gathering behaves without phones. There's no point in having family physically together if each is in their own digital bubble. It may or may not work, but at least you can give yourself a pat on the back for trying; or you could even have a day of exciting social interactions minus the social media.