What is Diwali?
Diwali, which is also called Divali or Deepavali, is one of the major holidays in India, celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. It is a festival of lights, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness, that typically is celebrated over five days.
Diwali also marks a beginning, and so preparations for and gifts celebrating this holiday can have a new year feel to them. Diwali is a time to don your best clothes, gather for meals with friends and family, and exchange gifts. As you might expect from a holiday centered around lights, fireworks and colorful diyas — oil lamps made from clay that represent enlightenment, knowledge and wisdom — are prominent parts of the celebration.
Traditional gifts often include nuts and sweets, clothing — including new socks and underwear! — and anything gold. Gold jewelry and coins are popular gifts, but anything in gold, including and especially anything that would make the recipient’s new year more prosperous and successful, fits the bill.
TheLadduHouse Assorted Laddu Box ($16.99; etsy.com)
Sweets are big business at any time of the year, but this is especially true at Diwali. Laddu, or laddoo, are balls made of flour, sugar and ghee that sometimes include nuts or dried fruits. They are also incredibly delicious.
HandmadeTraditions Indian Sweets Box (starting at $5; etsy.com)
For people who know their way around the kitchen, making homemade sweets is a great way to approach Diwali gift-giving. These sweets boxes come in three sizes and a choice of red, green, pink, cream or maroon, and feature a windowpane on the lid so recipients can see what they’re getting.
Malai Ice Cream Diwali Ice Cream Celebration Pack ($109; goldbelly.com)
Talk about an ice cream party. From New York City-based egg-free ice cream shop Malai Ice Cream, this Diwali celebration pack is filled with flavors inspired by the founder’s childhood. Treats include pints of ice cream flavored with cardamom, carrot halwa ice cream cake, and even some masala chai ice cream sandwiches.
Godiva Assorted Chocolate Gold Gift Box ($49.95; godiva.com)
Indian sweets like laddus, jalebis and burfi are traditional choices, but any sweets are an acceptable Diwali gift. This gift box has 36 dark, milk and white chocolates with fillings that include ganache, praline, caramel and even some crunchy nuts, which are also a Diwali tradition.
Harry & David Mixed Nuts Crate ($44.99; harryanddavid.com)
As with sweets, nuts are a staple of Diwali celebrations, and they make great gifts — especially for a host or hostess. This gift set includes 4 ounces each of roasted almonds, pistachios, jumbo cashews, pecans and mixed nuts, bundled in a reusable wood crate.
Hickory Farms Savory & Spicy Nut Sampler ($19.99; hickoryfarms.com)
For people who like it hot, a sampler of spiced nuts is a great gift idea. This gift set includes barbecue peanuts, buffalo hot peanuts, everything-seasoned mixed nuts, honey sriracha almonds, sweet ‘n spicy snack mix and traditional mixed nuts.
source - https://us.cnn.com/2021/10/28/cnn-underscored/diwali-gifts/index.html
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