our modern diwali traditions

Although we may be doing things a little differently than our parents and grandparents, we still love everything that surrounds the holiday of Diwali and passing along the traditions that we’ve grown up with to our little ones – just with a slight twist.   Check out our list of modern Diwali traditions that you still have time to try this year.

Diwali

May this Diwali bring you and your loved ones lots of love and light!

Lots of love,

Chai Mommas

 

Modern Diwali Traditions

Lighting clay diyas these days with tiny hands and feet around can be concerning even for the most liberal parents out there.  To share in this tradition, we like to buy these electric diyas so the little ones can take part without the danger of getting burnt.

Rangoli is so colorful and so enjoyable for kids.  But it can be very time-consuming and busy parents don’t always have the time to do it even though they want to.  Buying stencils is the way to go so your family can still adorn your home easily.  You can use these rangoli colors for the stencils.

No time to make handmade Diwali mandalas? Have your kids color these pages in festive colors to hang around the house. The bonus…coloring mandalas actually helps calm the mind and create inner balance.

To complete your decor, consider hanging lanterns both indoors and outdoor.  We are in love with these.

Instead of buying cards or sending e-cards (even though we love going green!), isn’t just nice to send and receive handmade cards?  Spend time together this weekend and make Diwali cards with your kids to mail to their cousins, grandparents and friends.

To help explain the meaning of Diwali, use a modern book that engages your children with illustrations yet tells the story of this festive holiday.  A couple of the books we currently love are:

Amma, Tell Me About Diwali and The Diwali Gift.  And this Diwali keepsake book is just gorgeous! You can flip through it for many years to come.

These Diwali flashcards are awesome for teaching your little one all about the holiday! Plus they come in many languages of India…the Diwali bibs for baby in the set are super cute too!

Kids love Diwali time as it’s all about sweets and desserts but we Chai Mommas like to promote a healthier lifestyle.  We make healthier sweet that kids will still love! We heart this recipe for carrot coconut barfi but substitute honey for the sugar.  Still sweet but just a little bit better for those of us with that serious sweet tooth.

And finally, amidst all the celebrations remember to connect with those that live far away like grandparents across the country or overseas and aunts/uncles/cousins that aren’t close by and with whom you won’t get to celebrate with in person.  Take advantage of Face Time, Skype and other technologies and make sure to celebrate ‘together’ during this Diwali, while lighting diyas, showing off mandalas and rangolis or tasting home made barfi.  Your kids will enjoy making this a part of the annual traditions too.

 

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