While festivities this year don’t feel the same, there are a few things one can do to uplift the mood and bring in the spirit of Diwali. SUNDAY PIONEER tells you more
Come festivals and all one is excited about apart from eating the delicious foods is receiving gifts. Hence, it makes it all the more important to make our loved ones feel special by showing these sweet gestures in these testing times.
Here are a list of gifts one can choose from:
Say it with makeup: Kiko Milano is all about making this meaningful day extra memorable with its well curated & customised assorted season’s greetings gift box. Keeping it thoughtful and personal, the wide & curated selection of gorgeous gift box starting from Rs 4990. It is the perfect Diwali gifting box that’s luxe, marvellous and absolutely glam to light up this Diwali even more.
Channel your inner altruist this festive season, with Kiko Milano gifting products and pick something off your wish-list from the wide range of classic favourites or the new must-have makeup products & discover the gift you didn’t know you wanted so severely.
Precious like a diamond: This festive season, Kohinoor Jewellers Agra aids you to up your gifting game with its offerings of select precious jewels within the range of 20k — ‘Precious Sweets’, A range of reasonably priced and exquisite jewels, that are sure to bring enormous amounts of joy to your loved ones this Diwali. Versatile, delicate and designer baubles form the crux of this collection. Lightweight & trendy, rings, earrings or pendants, Kohinoor Jewellers Agra is here to spread pocket-friendly precious love.
Shoes speak: There’s no better way to embrace festivities than to get your favourite pair of footwear because festivals are a great excuse to grab hold of what you have been eyeing all this while. Keeping up with the spirit of this festive season, Alberto Torresi in their latest collection ‘Thee Ordain’ has launched the most progressive designs and an exploration of the most avant-garde production methods & technical fabrics.
Feel good in and out: Diwali is undoubtedly the most anticipated festival on the Indian calendar. And to make it more special, The Body Shop is offering a range of exquisite products that are carefully formulated to spread goodness amongst your family and friends. Replace or compliment your sweet boxes and dry fruit baskets with a thoughtfully designed gift hamper from The Body Shop. The assortment of gift hampers are not only pleasing to the eye but nourishing for the body. Whether you wish to select from our pre-made gifts or Create Your Own Gift, it will carry with itself a personal touch that is bound to make your presence felt and a reminder of the appreciation you have for your loved ones.
Gift of health: From saying ‘No to Crackers’ to welcoming ‘organic & healthy’ Diwali gift variations, people are now more inclined looking for more considerate gifting options for their loved ones. This Deepavali, give your loved ones the gift of premium flavours, freshness, and bountiful good health with Vahdam India luxury gift collection. Break the chain of regular sweet boxes and monotonous gifting options and opt to shower love with a gift of a box of good health and stronger immunity. Rs 749 onwards
Love is in the air: The el Love collection is an ode to Desigual’s essence, which is to discover the artist within us all. Sneakers are on trend, and Desigual is bona fide sneakermaniacs. This season, the focus is strongly on embellishments to adapt sneakers to previously unimagined moments of the day. Snakeskin effect, Sparkles, Lace, Sequins, Bows, Denim, Crochet and foil tones too. Backpacks, handbags, bum bags and sneakers all make up the soul of a collection that oozes the Desigual essence. Rs 5790 onwards
Slaying It: This Diwali, worry not; as Slay Coffee for the first time; launches a perfect kit to brew your coffee at the comfort of your home and convenience of your time without compromising on the flavour of a perfectly brewed gourmet coffee.
Their DIY coffee brewing kit is all you need for the perfect cuppa! The thoughtful kit comes with a packet of grounds and a French press to brew your coffee. Additionally, the DIY kit has flavour sachets, for those who like customised coffees and a ceramic mug that lets you relish the aroma while you sip your coffee.
It’s that time of the year again where life is all about diyas, lights, rangolis, mouth- sweets, and happiness. While Diwali is mostly celebrated on one of darkest nights of the year, you all would agree when we say that 2020 has been one of darkest years in all our lives. This pandemic has not only taught us the importance of health, but also the importance of home-cooked food. This Diwali, it’s time to ditch those packaged drinks and colas, and instead indulge in some delicious and simple DIY mocktails that will keep you hydrated.
Cucumber Mojito: This refreshing drink is probably the easiest one to make. All you need are some sliced cucumbers, fresh mint leaves, water, sugar and lime juice. Blend the mint leaves and cucumber and strain the juice. Add that juice to the water. Additionally, you can add sugar and lime juice to that minty water according to your taste. This recipe is perfect to kick start your Diwali celebrations.
Trusty ol’ Jaljeera: No festive season is complete without the famous tangy Jaljeera. This mocktail has been our go-to-welcome drink since generations. So after you have gorged on some delicious Diwali food, you must gulp down a glass of this digestive drink. Trust us, your stomach will thank us later! All you need to do is mix some dry mango powder, dry mint powder, black salt, cumin powder, black pepper powder and add this to a glass of water. And voila, you're done!
Red Blood: This one is a hatke mocktail. If you like the taste of tomato juice, then this recipe is something you definitely need to try. You'll need fresh tomatoes (peeled, deseeded, blended), fresh orange juice, fresh green chilly, crushed ice cubes and some black salt. Mix these ingredients together and you'll love the concoction. It's definitely for the faint hearted, but if you like a kick in your mocktail, you can definitely try this one.
Tip: Skip using the chilly if you’re planning on serving this mocktail to your kids
By Kriti Gulati, Expert at Momspresso
In a sweet way
Isn’t this the most exciting time of the year when all you’re binging on is delicious food and enjoying the gorgeous festive feel? However, sometimes the sweet quotient goes overboard and needs to be kept in control. Listing few substitutes to yummy Diwali sweets.
Carrot Delight: If innovating in the kitchen is something you enjoy, then try making this baked carrot sweet this Diwali. Mix orange juice, grated carrots, condensed milk along with sugar, ghee and bake it after you have cooked it well in the pan.
Goodness of dates: From diabetes to high blood pressure and heart patients, dates can be beneficial for one and all! Dates make for an excellent sugar substitute and can be great for times you are craving desserts of sugary foods. Rooted deep down in Middle-Eastern culture since 1936, Bateel enjoys an unparalleled legacy as the world’s only gourmet date grower, producer, and seller. There can be no better way to show your loved ones that you truly care than gifting them a luxurious box of Bateel’s delicious dates.
Corn Kheer: Eating nutritious food that tastes delicious should be the ideal way to celebrate Diwali this year. Prepare this kheer using skimmed milk, sugar, corn seeds mixture, and milk powder. You may add your choice of dry fruits to enrich the preparation with bags of flavor and nutrition.
