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A mother shares 14 wonderful things she did to celebrate Diwali in Singapore. You can try the same anywhere.
Diwali is that time of the year when Indians who live outside India really miss India. Nothing can compare to the festivities in India. Not even living in a country where there are lots of Indians can make Diwali the same as it is back home.
3 years ago, we had just moved to Singapore and although there are many Indians in Singapore we knew very few people.
Our daughter was just beginning to realise the significance of Diwali and we really wanted to celebrate Diwali at home with lots of people. We wanted her to experience Diwali.
So I hit upon the plan of calling her school friends and the ones in our condominium for a girls’ Diwali party.
My daughter’s school was very multicultural and when I sent the invitation out to the parents’ who I hardly knew, I had to explain what Diwali meant and what we were planning to do. We then had a group of about 8-9 girls all of whom we had known only for a few months, belonging to different countries, of different faiths attending a Diwali party in our little flat. Not only was the party a great success, but the next two years we ended up having similar Diwali parties with more girls and even more fun.
Here are some of the things we did and if you are an Indian in a foreign land, perhaps you could use these tips to make your Diwali fun for your child, his/her friends and of course, for yourself.
As for me, my feet ache and I pick glitter from my food, but it’s all been worth it.
This year we are not in Singapore but back to the UK , where a grey cold day is making me nostalgic for last year’s Diwali.
I know I have to make an effort to make it feel like Diwali – not a party this year, but maybe something else – with lots of lights and cheer.
Happy Diwali.
Cover image via Shutterstock
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