Celebrate Diwali As A Family And Gift Your Child Happy Memories To Cherish Forever

My fondest memory of Diwali is spending a beautiful day with my family at my grandparents' home. That was years ago. Things have changed now. Today, I am faced with time constraints and logistical issues when it comes to celebrating the Festival of Lights. It has become difficult to gather the entire family on Diwali. At least, the happy memories of my childhood Diwali celebrations remain. That keeps me going. If you connect with my story, you'll understand what it means to your child to have happy memories of family celebrations.

History is full of stories where cities would come together as a family on this very auspicious day to celebrate the victory of good over evil. "Diwali is a celebration of the victory of good over evil. Diwali is a great time to remind ourselves of these stories. As a community, it's important to celebrate as a larger group. In North India, people burn the effigies of Ravana. They come together to share the joy," says Aparna Samuel Balasundaram, psychotherapist.

Why celebrating Diwali together strengthens family bonds

Families that celebrate together, stay together. Festive family celebrations have several benefits, especially for children:

• Establish a family's identity through its unique traditions and rituals.
• Provide ample time for love, joy, laughter, humor, fun, excitement, reverence, and sharing.
• Show how celebrations are best shared with loved ones.
• Unite family members through fun and sharing.
• Help renew family ties.
• Allow introducing new members to the family.
• Give grandparents opportunities to share traditions, narrate stories, and explain the family's unique cultural and religious beliefs and practices.
• Give elders opportunities to pass on family heirlooms to the younger members, with stories that help children trace their family tree and its roots.
• Help build community life. Visiting relatives and friends and meeting neighbors at community celebrations helps your child observe and imbibe social practices.

How shared festive moments boost your child’s happiness

Arundhati Swamy, counselor and Head of Parent Engagement Programmes, ParentCircle, says, "Celebrations are wonderful ways to have our deep physical, social, and psychological needs met. The extraordinary things we do add meaning to our lives. Apart from fun, excitement, and warm memories, celebrations link the culture and traditions of people from the past and the present. They help us to seamlessly transmit family values and find our place in the circle of life. Coming together to celebrate a festive occasion reinforces family relationships, provides ample opportunities for bonding, and nourishes emotional attachments.

Happy memories become positive inner resources that help to calm the mind; they release the feel-good chemicals in the brain. Happy memories help your child remember the good times more than the bad ones. They help your child perceive the world with optimism. Happy memories also open their mind to new possibilities and experiences, thereby enhancing their creativity and enabling them to be more kind and helpful."

"We come together to celebrate because children can look at the larger picture of a family, other than just mom, dad, herself, and her sibling," says Aparna.

Turning Diwali into lifelong happy memories

10 ideas for a memorable family Diwali celebration

Planning or attending a family reunion, especially in today's world, can be tiresome. But a little effort can go a long way in making it memorable.

1. Simple family traditions make Diwali special for children

Family traditions become enjoyable when everyone comes together. However, it's okay if you are unable to spend Diwali with your extended family. Just bring your immediate family together.

"Instead of buying sweets, even if you are making one kind of sweet for Diwali, make it with your child. While you are making sweets, you can talk to them about what Diwali is and why it is celebrated. So, this is a great storytelling and bonding time with your child as well," says Aparna. "Involve younger children in artwork, like making a rangoli outside. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it must be meaningful. When you are doing pooja at home, involve your child in the process of setting it up. This is more inclusive," she adds. "Give your child small tasks to do and appreciate them once they complete them."

Traditional practices help initiate conversations and discussions, and encourage your child to express their thoughts and emotions. This, in turn, leads to healthy debates and negotiations. Remember to be patient when your child asks questions.

2. Plan a mini-vacation

Travelling during Diwali is a great way to bond with the family. You don't need to travel far to enjoy this break. A quick family getaway to a nearby hill station or a mini-vacation to an unexplored destination in another state will be ideal. This way, you and your loved ones are away from the city and the crowd. If your extended family is spread all over the country, then plan to meet at a common destination.

"Travelling is one of the best ways to create a good rapport with your near and dear ones, especially your child. Children hardly get time to spend with parents who work. Taking a break and visiting different destinations with your child creates feel-good memories for your child. He also learns life skills from real-time experiences," says Jayanth Sharma, co-founder and CEO of Toehold, a travel and photography company.

3. Celebrate Diwali in another city or country

You could plan a trip with your family to Varanasi to celebrate the festival of lights. Start your day by taking a bath in one of the Ganga ghats. Or visit  Amritsar and view the spectacular Golden Temple decorated with lights. And yes, Diwali is celebrated in Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Fiji, and several other countries with the same fervor. Give your child a camera to explore and record how they perceive and experience Diwali. Remind them not to take pictures of other worshippers or people without their permission.

4. Host a potluck party

Preparing food for a get-together can be an arduous task. While catering is an option, why not try hosting a potluck party? Ask other families to prepare and bring a dish that is special to them. Plan the spread to ensure a good mix of starters, main course, and desserts. This way, you'll have a variety of dishes, your child will get to observe how people bond over food, and try new tastes and flavors, too.

5. Play games

• Elders in the family enjoy playing card games during Diwali. Set aside some time to organize creative and fun games.
• Antakshari is a popular family get-together game. How about tweaking the game a little? Sing songs starting with the names of family members, or just sing and dance along.
• Bring back the traditional games you played during your childhood.
• Organize a fun fashion show at home. Cheer and encourage the models of all shapes and sizes.
• If your family can't catch up during the day, plan a family fun night. Have a karaoke or a dance session at home. You can practice a choreographed dance routine with your child and perform in front of other family members.

6. Have color-coordinated fun photo sessions

Plan your outfits with the rest of the family and, if possible, with the extended family too. Ask your child to pick a color and plan your outfits accordingly. Color-coordinating your outfits is not only fun but also makes for great pictures. Set up a photo booth at home with battery-operated diyas, string lights, and flowers, and pose away! Selfies, portraits, candid pictures, click them all!

7. Meet at a restaurant for a Diwali-inspired menu

Most of the restaurants in your city will host a special Diwali brunch, lunch, or dinner. Make reservations in advance if you plan to go as a large group. Follow up the sumptuous lunch with a child-friendly movie that has been released for Diwali.

8. Visit the elders in your family

"My grandmother lives in Pune, and she finds it difficult to travel due to her health conditions. Ten years ago, my entire family visited her during Diwali. My children and I had fun playing carrom and UNO with my grandmother. It was an enjoyable day," recalls Ramesh from Chennai. Sounds like a good idea? It's your chance to help your child create happy memories with their favorite elders.

9. Contribute to a cause

Choose a cause or an organization close to your heart and discuss it with your family. Spend at least a part of the Diwali day serving others.

"Use the festival as an opportunity to share. Give back to those who do not have as much as you. This is a great opportunity for a family to serve at an orphanage or shelter home instead of just giving money. This helps your child build a sense of gratitude," says Aparna

10. Have a live video session with family abroad

While it is relatively easy to get everyone from various parts of India together, it takes a lot of planning and time for relatives abroad to plan a trip to India. So, why not have a live video session with them? Wish them on the multiple video calling options available today. Have a virtual fashion parade for adults and children. An older child can hone their compering skills with a running commentary of the action on the ramp. Younger children can share how they are celebrating Diwali and learn from each other how the Festival of Lights is celebrated abroad.

How shared festive moments boost your child’s happiness

•  Festivals are meant to be celebrated. Let your child play, watch a movie, help with the decorations and other preparations, and have fun with the rest of the family.
•  "Sometimes, festivals can cause more stress than happiness. You start thinking about what to wear, shopping, and tidying up the house. You also get caught up in rituals that you forget the very essence of celebration, which is to be with each other and enjoy each other's company. That is something you should be careful about as parents," insists Aparna. Family togetherness makes the celebrations truly special.
• Rangoli pattern cut-outs, sweets, and savories, almost everything is readily available in the market. As a result, we children lose out on the intrinsic value of homemade festive experiences. "Everything is in fast-forward mode for us, including our festivals and celebrations. Diwali is treated as just another day, and there is no planning around it," says Aparna.

Parent speak

On Diwali, we try to stay together as a family. We eat more sweets than usual and burst a lot of crackers. We wear new clothes and also give new clothes to the needy. We do not receive gifts from relatives. My children do not help around the house voluntarily, but they help when we request them.

- Meena, Chennai

Nothing much has changed with respect to rituals on Diwali except for the timings since we live abroad. My two-year-old daughter looks forward to tasting the little bits and pieces of sweets we give her. Although she is too young to help now, I'm sure she will be excited about the festival and help out as she grows older.

- Ramani, Melbourne

I travel to my native place to visit my parents during Diwali. I meet with my older sister there as well. We greet each other and then exchange sweets. On the third day, which is the most important day of Diwali for us, we perform the Lakshmi pooja. So, our extended family comes to my parents' home for the event. My children are usually very excited and help decorate the house. They look forward to the oil bath ritual since I've explained the history behind it to them.

- Prasad, Bangalore

Just as the people of a kingdom came together to celebrate, we must come together as a family to celebrate Diwali. Enjoy the festival rather than stressing over the planning and preparation. Diwali is about creating happy and positive memories. So, go ahead, and give your child plenty of great memories to carry forward!

Last updated on: September 16, 2025