Diwali greetings
This year, Diwali - the five-day festival of lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world - will be celebrated on Wednesday 7 November.
One of the most significant festivals in Indian culture, Diwali coincides with the Hindu New Year and celebrates new beginnings and the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.
Diwali is traditionally celebrated on the festival's third day, which usually falls between the middle of October and the middle of November, although the actual date each year is decided by the Hindu lunar calendar.
How is Diwali celebrated?
The festival is marked by large firework displays to remember the celebrations which, according to the legend, took place upon Lord Rama and his wife Sita's return to their kingdom in northern India from exile after defeating the demon king Ravanna in the 15th century BCE.
Those celebrating the festival also light traditional earthen diyas (candles) and decorate their houses with colourful rangoli artworks - patterns created on the floor using coloured rice or powder. During Diwali, families and friends share sweets and gifts and there is also a strong belief in giving food and goods to those in need. It is also traditional for homes to be cleaned and new clothes to be worn.
Group head of business change management, Sonia Strang, said: ‘For me, Diwali is a chance to reflect on my Indian heritage which is something that has become increasingly important to me since having children.
‘My parents emigrated from India in the 1960s and I grew up in a community which wasn’t very diverse. We had small celebrations at home, but at that time it felt much more important for me to be like everyone else. My husband is British and we decided that it is really important to us that our children grow up feeling proud to be British and Indian.
‘Every year we have a traditional British Christmas with my in-laws in Scotland, and my children are equally excited about the Diwali celebrations we have with their Indian grandparents here in London with fireworks in the garden, sweets and their granny’s delicious chicken curry and samosas.’
Remember, our brand new Appreciate site is now live. Giving a card to colleagues is a great way to say thank you or to celebrate birthdays and other events and festivals such as Diwali
The new Appreciate site offers a wider range of celebration cards and a new 'pick and mix' feature, which allows you to order a variety of different cards in one pack.
