How to Spend Time with Family During Diwali

One of the main purposes of Diwali, the Hindu celebration also known as the Festival of Lights, is to strengthen the bond between you and your family members, especially your brothers and sisters. Therefore, it is important to spend as much time with your family as possible during the 5-day festival.

Things You'll Need

• Fireworks and sparklers
• Lamps and diyas (small clay pots filled with oil and lit like a candle)
• Sweets, such as chocolate and dried fruit

Instructions

Spend Time with Your Family During Diwali

1. Attend as many of the melas, or special fairs and markets held before and during Diwali, as possible with your family. The melas are the perfect place to buy supplies, gifts and new clothing to prepare for Diwali. Dhan teras, the first day of Diwali, is reserved for this kind of shopping, so bring your entire family along to help you plan for the celebration.

2. Make sure you get time off from work to properly celebrate Diwali with your family. Even if you can't get off from work, you can still participate, since most of the activities related to Diwali take place before sunrise and after sunset in order to show off all of the lights and illuminations of the festival.

3. Buy plenty of fireworks and sparklers for the Diwali celebration, and schedule some time with your family to watch any large fireworks displays in your area.

4. Delight your entire family by surprising them with sweets during the festival. Sweets are a significant part of the Diwali celebration. Fine chocolates, dried fruits and figurines made from crystallized sugar are traditionally among the most treasured treats.

5. Reserve some time on the fifth day of the Diwali celebration, known as Bhayiduj, to spend with your brothers and sisters, strengthening the special bond you have with them. This is one of the oldest and most respected aspects of the Diwali celebration.

6. Enlist the help of your family to light as many lamps and diyas as possible, placing them in streets, courtyards and in any open area available. Lighting diyas, which are small clay pots filled with oil and lit like luminarias, is perhaps the most common way to participate in the festival.

Tips & Warnings

• Take the time to educate your children about fireworks safety. They should know how to avoid getting hurt from firecrackers and sparklers, which are a large part of the Diwali celebration.