In many homes Diwali preparation starts with the house, a cleaning that reaches the corners skipped the rest of the year, before any lights go up. For many Hindu families the lamps, rangoli, sweets and the Lakshmi puja come after, spread over five days from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj.
Diwali’s date follows the lunar calendar and moves every year, so check this year’s dates and the puja time with your temple, your family or a calendar you trust. Customs differ by region and by family, and Hindu, Sikh and Jain households mark the festival in their own ways. Treat this list as a frame and skip anything your household does not do.
New clay diyas drink a lot of oil the first time they are lit. Many families soak them in water for a few hours and let them dry before filling them, so the oil lasts through the evening.
- Confirm this year's dates for the days you celebrate and your puja time
- Set a budget for clothes, gifts, sweets, decorations and any crackers
- Clean the house room by room — Start with the rooms the puja and your guests will use.
- Clear out clutter and set aside things to give away
- Wash curtains, cushion covers and the puja cloth
- Make a gift list for family, friends, neighbours and coworkers
- Order sweets and dry fruit boxes early, or plan what you will make at home — Sweet shops get busy in the days before Diwali.
- Buy or check new clothes for each day you celebrate — Try them on early so there is time for alterations.
- Buy clay diyas, oil and cotton wicks
- Soak new diyas in water and let them dry before the first use
- Test last year's string lights before hanging them — Throw out any set with cracked wires or broken sockets, and use only outdoor-rated lights outside.
- Hang a toran or marigold garland at the entrance
- Pick a rangoli design and buy the colours — Practise the outline in chalk first if the design is new to you.
- Gather the puja items — Ask whoever leads your family's puja for their list. Images of Lakshmi and Ganesha, a puja thali, flowers, incense, kumkum, rice and sweets for the offering are common for a Lakshmi puja.
- Plan any Dhanteras purchase your family makes — Many buy metal on Dhanteras, such as a utensil, a silver coin or gold.
- Check whether firecrackers are allowed where you live — Many cities limit them, by type or by time of night, and some ban them.
- Plan which family and friends you will visit, and who is coming to you
- Plan the meals for the main day and any guests
- Schedule calls with family who live far away
- Keep a bucket of water or sand near the diyas and crackers
- Place diyas and candles away from curtains, clothes and paper decorations — Loose dupattas, sarees and sleeves can catch fire if they brush a flame.
- Have an adult supervise children around diyas and crackers
- Give pets a quiet room on the noisy nights
- Put out every diya and candle before bed — If your family keeps one lamp lit through the night, set it on a metal plate well away from curtains and anything that can catch.
- Plan the Bhai Dooj visit and gifts if your family marks it
- Pack away lights and decorations after the last day — Wind the lights loosely around a piece of card so they come out untangled next year.