Here’s what to get for every type of guest in a Diwali party

It’s that time of the year again. The string lights from last year are out–some yellow, some green, and some have ceased to twinkle. The invitations are sent out and the menu is being finalised– gujiyas and mithai to maintain the traditions; and sugar-free, air-fried options for the health conscious. 

And now, it’s time to buy the gifts. Diwali is not just the festival of lights. Hindus celebrate the festival by worshipping Lakshmi–the Goddess of wealth and prosperity, and Ganesha–the God of success. It is thus a tradition to exchange gifts with friends and family as a way of wishing love and light, and expressing gratitude to the Gods and Goddesses.

Traditionally, dry fruits, sweets, and silver coins with religious imprints made up for Diwali gifts. With time, these got replaced by exquisite hampers consisting of imported nuts and dates, expensive gadgets, and premium sweets and dessert. 

While we get occupied arranging for the year’s much-awaited Diwali party, let’s not buy gifts for our friends and loved ones in a rush. 

Every quintessential Diwali party always has a set of guests–the game organiser, the one who gets drunk, the non-host who takes it on themself to make the party the best one yet, the self-claimed DJ in the house, and the diva who doesn’t care about anything but their outfit. While the plus-ones and extras will keep changing each year, these personalities never miss a good Diwali party.

So, if each of these guests bring in their unique offerings to turn a party into a blockbuster one, why generalise the gifts that you offer them? Afterall, long after the party is over, the special Diwali gift will make your friends and family look back and cherish an evening well spent. A thoughtful gift will also ensure there are no pass-it-ons the following year! 

YS Life has independently curated a guide to help you find a bespoke gift for every type of guest in your Diwali party. 

The game organiser 

Spotting this individual in a Diwali party is a cakewalk–usually dressed in a kurta with a pocket or potli full of change, the teen-patti enthusiast is always ready to raise a stake in a round of card game. Often termed as the ‘dealer’ of the Diwali party, selecting a gift for the game organiser is no brainer. A luxury poker game set, like the Leather Case set available at Toyshine, should be ideal for them. 

Diwali parties with too many rounds of poker come with the risk of losing chips. To ensure the tradition continues hassle-free the following years, get the dealer in the house a poker chipset, such as the 500-pieces Copag Poker chipset available at the Casino Kart website. 

The festive-drinker 

No Diwali party is complete without booze. And what’s better than having a guest who appreciates your home-bar collection and drinks up to prove the same? 

For the festive alcoholic, an ideal gift would be a travel bar set–to let them carry the party everywhere they go. Bar Box offers a premium travel cocktail bar set, basically a portable bartender kit to help keep the celebrations going long after the Diwali party is over.

If off-beat is something you are looking for, liquor chocolates form good Diwali gifts–sweets to keep up with the tradition, and liquor-infused to make your guests happy. Chocolates and Cakes Shop and Halfcute have some interesting chocolates to offer–from Absolut vodka liquor chocolates, to Chivas Regal Scotch Premium chocolates, there is something for every drinker.

Besides these, there’s always the option to gift a nice bottle of one’s favourite drink. Homegrown brands offer a range of options today in rum (Old Monk ‘The Legend’ and Short White Rum), gin (Jaisalmer and Malhar Gin), whiskey (Amrut Greedy Angels 12-year old-Chairman’s Reserve and Paul John Mars Orbiter), and vodka (Smoke vodka and Short Story Grain Vodka). 

For the wine-snobs, you can pick a bottle like the Chandon Brut Rose NV, Zampa Soiree Brut, J’NOON White, The Source Grenache Rose, or a SETTE; and pair them with cheese platters by Fratelli or The Spotted Cow Fromagerie.  

The DJ 

A Diwali party is incomplete without half the guests making a dance floor out of the living room. And facilitating theque-vibes is the self-proclaimed DJ of the party. 

The gift that you give your DJ-friend should be as unique as their personality. And nothing speaks vintage and premium like the Marshall speakers. In fact, to celebrate 60 years of Marshall, the company has launched a limited-edition black diamond finish Emberton speakers, which will make the gift all the more special. 

Alternatively, you can learn about their favourite music artist or band and get them a vinyl from The Revolver Club. The record store has a collection that ranges from age-old favourites like the Beatles, U2, Queen, and Bob Dylan, to modern pop artists like Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5, Billie Eilish, and Ariana Grande.

If your DJ-friend is an old school romantic soul, you could consider gifting them the Saregama Carvaan II that is loaded with 5000 Hindi songs by legends like Kishore Kumar, Mohd. Rafi, and Lata Mangeshkar, among others.   

The pseudo-host 

The pseudo-host, as the name suggests, is one who arrives at your party and makes it their own. They help with laying the table, pouring drinks for all, making sure every guest is comfortable, and even get food and drinks to your party. It is thus absolutely necessary to get a thoughtful gift for this person.

You could gift this guest a classic rug from The Ambiente to make their homes as warm and welcoming as they made yours. Alternatively, you could check out handwoven rugs by homegrown brand Junekeri, or a modern rug by Cocoon Fine Rugs, based on their style. 

Ideally one who helps at your party is also someone who enjoys hosting people at their own house. Keeping this in mind, a great gift for this guest would be a set of handcrafted plates by Ikai Asai for the dinners they might host at their place. If not, you could check out the Kangra Pasta Bowls by Nicobar, or the two-tier midnight mango wood cake stand by Ellementry.  

The diva 

The diva is easily the best dressed guest in every Diwali party. If you are hosting a fashionista who is always hunting for premium homegrown fashion brands, check out the unique hand embroidered Zardozi sneakers by The Saree Sneakers. If your diva-friend is a bag hoarder, nothing matches the festive vibe more than the brocade Potli bags by Tan & Loom. Similarly, Sarjaa offers premium apple skin leather bags which make for a perfect gift. 

If you wish to move beyond accessories, check homegrown brand Jodi that makes exquisite hand-block printed clothes–each piece is vibrant and size-inclusive. YS Life’s favourite, the Jantar Mantar One Shoulder Dress is classic and is sure to turn a few heads. If vintage and bohemian is in the instruction card, check Annahmol for their luxurious silk dresses. 

A lot is involved in making a Diwali party successful–good food, premium booze, fun games, and groovy music. So, make the memories last a little longer by spending enough time and thought in getting the perfect gift for all your guests. 

Disclaimer: The list was editorially curated. The author has researched and shortlisted products that best suited the article.