Top 10 best things to do on Diwali

Diwali, the festival of lights is celebrated around the world but is part of Indian culture. Being known as 'the festival of lights,' Diwali is one of the most special holidays in India and people love to make crafts, host potlucks, play games, etc. on Diwali. Here are the Top 10 Best things to do on Diwali.

1) Light Diyas

Diyas are small oil lamps that are made of clay. We light Diyas for the festival of lights as a symbol of lights prevailing over darkness. In the story of Diwali, after a triumphant battle, gods Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana return home to a street full of lit Diyas.

2) Paint Diyas

Speaking of Diyas, to make the celebration a little more creative, you can paint your Diyas! Painting Diyas are very simple: Use some acrylic paint and a paint brush to paint on your Diya and optionally add small gems or additional decorations. You can paint your Diyas on your own, as a family, or with a big group of friends. (I recommend holding a Diya painting competition!) Once your done, don't forget to light your Diya with a oil saturated wick!

3) Light Sparklers

India is known for being a country that loves to overdo our celebrations. So, we proved this correct by not only lighting Diyas, but also lighting some awesome sparklers! Sparklers are by far the most common way of celebration Diwali. Invite some friends over and light of some sparklers at night. Plus, Sparklers make a great photo prop, so take some pictures!

4) Get some Henna/Mehndi done (or do it yourself!)

On the day of Diwali, don't be surprised to see many ladies and men wearing these beautiful patterns on their hands and legs. Mehndi, also called Henna, is a paste made of dry henna leaves that pigments your skin. In most places, you can find a henna artist nearby who can do henna for you for a low cost. If your the one to try new things, try doing henna yourself! But be warned! It's is much harder than it looks!

5) Create Rangolis

Rangoli is a popular art form that comes from India. Rangoli, usually done on the floor, is a power that you can pour to make designs. Rangoli art is especially popular during Diwali but is also done on Onam, another Indian holiday. Onam rangoli is made of flowers instead of colorful powder and is called an Onam Pookalam (Pookalam meaning flower). Rangoli designs are all over the internet and ever changing, so be creative with it!

6) Make a Diwali lantern

Remember when I said that India is known for being a country that loves to overdo celebrations? The Diwali Lantern likes to take this idea to an even bigger level! The Diwali Lantern is an easy DIY to make with kids to test their patience and creativity! It also can be made with paper and common materials that are already in your home. Make sure to add in some sort of electrical light (not fire lit lights!) inside your lantern to illuminate it and show off your pretty designs!

7) Host a Diwali Potluck

Potlucks are the best way to get friends and family together by putting minimum effort into cooking. Potlucks are also a great excuse to invite a lot of families because: the more families, the more food, the more yummy leftovers!

8) Cook some Indian food

At any Indian potluck, you'll find enough food for every person to have 4 servings! Contribute to this surplus of food by cooking some yummy Indian snacks and dishes. Some Diwali specials involve Gulab Jamun, Jalebi, Samosa, etc.

9) Make a Diwali Playlist

Every. Single. Indian celebration has music. Its part our Indian culture and can't be drawn out of our blood. Your Diwali playlist need not involve songs that are specific to Diwali. Pick any song that makes you enjoy the celebration! I recommend one song to all of you: Jalebi Baby. I expect that you play the song while its time to eat dessert! (It super catchy)

10) Make Diwali gift boxes

After you've made your painted Diyas and finished making your Indian Food, wrap everything up into a small gift box and add a 'Happy Diwali!' sign on the front. You can even add a small 'thank you for coming' card inside! End off your Diwali celebration with something for the guests to look forward to.

These were some of my favorite ways to celebrate Diwali. Hopefully you can use this post to plan out your next Diwali Potluck and hopefully this post sparked some interest to listen to 'Jalebi Baby!'