It’s that time of the year again. Friends and family all gathered together in all their festive glory, smells of delicious Diwali classic cuisines wafting through the kitchen, and, of course, Diwali party ideas in full swing! Perhaps one of the few festivals in the world that binds communities all over the world in unison over the hearth of beautiful diyas and fuljadis, the festival of Diwali or Deepavali, as commonly known in some parts of India, is a mega event. It only makes sense that you would be curious about Diwali party ideas for your upcoming bash with kin and friends. Well, let’s dive straight in!
Essentials for Diwali Party Ideas
Of course, we all have our preferences when it comes to games for Diwali partiesparty or Diwali party ideas in general. However, there are some essentials without which the festival may seem a little lacklustre. These include:
- Brightly lit diyas.
- Classis diwali snacks like gulab jamun, samosa, aloo bonda, paneer tikka, murukku, onion bhajis. The list goes on (our mouths are already watering!).
- Beautiful decorations: this list will include Diwali party decoration ideas, too. Don’t worry!
- Traditional attires are a must.
- Bollywood needs to run on a loop on your playlist!
- Beautify your hands with henna.
- Flowers give you that Diwali glow even more.
Of course, this list is not exhaustive, and some ideas can be left out, depending on your preferences.
Diwali Party Ideas 2023
This section is the spark behind why you clicked on this link in the first place, the main reason. Are you ready to dive into our Laxmi bomb of a list of Diwali party ideas for 2023?
1. Retro Bollywood Night
There is a reason why you can never go wrong with Bollywood Diwali parties. With a massive diaspora of Bollywood lovers not just within the subcontinent but globally, too, why not host a retro Bollywood night? When it comes to games for Diwali party, one can host a game of “guess that character”, where you go around the room asking your guests to guess each other’s outfits and inspiration. Blare classic Bollywood music, and you are sorted for the night.
Essentials: Bollywood-inspired outfits, loud Bollywood music, Bollywood games for Diwali party, lots of dancing!
2. Potluck for Good Luck
Bring a twist to your favourite festivals and experience various cuisines on the same night without being restricted by the shackles of “Diwali Food”. Ask your friends to prepare their favourite dish and come over to your place. We bet that your Diwali will be filled with aromas of food you probably haven’t tasted before, and at the same time, it can be a great way to taste your buddies’ cooking! Eating food made by close friends can also be a great way to bond with them.
Essentials: warm home-cooked food, single-use utensils to avoid long hours of cleaning up, friends who know how to cook
3. Henna Stations
Applying henna to one’s palms is an Indian tradition that has lived on for thousands of years now, so it only makes sense it makes a place for itself in your list of Diwali party ideas for home as well as Diwali celebration ideas for office. Henna, essentially, is a dye made from the henna tree that can be applied to the body as a form of temporary tattoo. Henna artists usually draw intricate and beautiful designs using this dye. Why not become a henna artist by setting up mini henna stations for your party and applying them to yourself and your friends?
Essentials: henna dye, guests willing to put beautiful henna designs on themself
4. Release Your Inner Van Gogh: Diya Painting
Just like any run-of-the-mill blank canvas out there, diyas (mud lamp) can act as a blank canvas for your creative juices to run wild. Buying diyas in bulk can be an inexpensive affair, and using some stationary supplies is all it takes for you to take your Diwali gamegames ideas to another level altogether. Paint the diyas using beautiful colours and designs and make your inner child shine through! Not only is it a fun activity, but this is one of the many Diwali party ideas that will encourage your guests to actively engage with each other and show off their artistic skills.
Essentials: plain diyas, art supplies, cleaning supplies (unfortunately), a creative spirit
5. Ace of Spades: Play some Taash
Perhaps Indian readers would be most familiar with the concept, but playing card games is quite a common occurrence on Diwali for many Indian families. Taash (cards) is played on many auspicious days across the calendar and isn’t specifically played with a gambling mindset. There is even mythological lore behind why many celebrators play taash on Diwali. It is believed that Goddess Parvati played a game of dice with her husband, Lord Shiva, and declared that those who played a game such as dice on Diwali would receive prosperity in future. Call your friends over, rub your palms for some good luck and pray that the Goddess is on your side by playing rummy, three-cards, poker, and other similar games for a Diwali party.
Essentials: a pack of cards, friends who know how to play card games, a sprinkle of luck
6. Do-It-Yourself Sweets and Crafts Bar
Diwali party ideas would be amiss without some delectable and sugary bites, and that is exactly where these Diwali celebration ideas for office and family come in. Instead of supplying pre-made sweets to the attendees, lay out all the necessary ingredients at a DIY sweets bar and try to control your laughter as you watch your friends struggling to make even a single laddoo. In a similar vein, one can even set up an arts and crafts bar to test their friends’ creative skills. You can provide manuals as well at the bar on how to come up with arts and crafts such as Toran designs, lanterns, flower garlands, and more.
Essentials: ingredients, a set-up for the bar, a wave of enthusiasm.
7. Rangoli Competition: Organize a Showdown
Perhaps an activity that so many people look forward to performing when the Diwali season comes knocking is designing gorgeous rangolis. A rangoli is basically a painting made from various coloured powders. These coloured powders are sourced from dried and powdered limestones, dyed sand, dry rice flour and more. Most rangolis are often designed by basing it on geometric mandala designs. No need to worry about Diwali party decoration ideas. Let your friends and guests do all the heavy lifting (just kidding)! You can let the kids in your midst be the final judges of the competition and see who comes out on top!
Essentials: powder colours, design references, cleaning supplies (again), some hidden Picassos
That wraps up our list of the seven most unique Diwali party ideas you can borrow from for your next festival bash. Diwali is a season of lights, good food, devotion and, most importantly, having fun. Don’t pressure yourself to have the most amazing party ever. Instead, use one of these low-effort ideas that won’t just make your guests have fun but also let them actively participate in making everyone’s Diwali a memorable experience.