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Wouldn’t it be wonderful to host a Diwali party right at your own home? Home decor is a crucial part of Deepavali celebrations and in the lead up to the event, it could get tiresome. So, to help you plan your Diwali party better, especially if it is last-minute, here are some simple ideas.
Start with a budget
You must allocate funds to food, drinks, decor and other bare essentials. Setting a budget also helps control the spending. Try and stick to this budget as much as possible.
Set a theme. Don’t script your Diwali parties, go out and experiment! Add that extra bit of zing to your party by setting a theme of your choice. Be it a Bollywood night where your guests are dressed like their favourite movie stars, or a colour-coded party where everyone is dressed in similar shades or hues, take your pick as this will surely electrify the mood of the party.
Here are some interesting themes to help you get started. Go ethnic. It’s desi night all the way — from food to drinks, decor to games. Light up the house with diyas. Also, use incense sticks for added fragrance. Decorate the doors and windows with marigold flowers. Make a rangoli at the entrance. As for the games, you can play teen patti or antakshari.
Windows & doors
“Your entrance (door) is the focal point of the house as it’s the first to get noticed. And during a festival like Diwali, it takes centre stage. As such, you must dedicate greater attention to its decoration,” says Parul Amla of Antrik Design Studio, New Delhi.
Traditionally, marigold garlands have been used to adorn this area, but why not try your hand at something new this time! Adorn your entrance with flower baskets filled with colourful fresh flowers and foliage.
Alternately, you can use dried leaves and stems. Make an interesting torana out of flowers, leaves, glass beads or bangles and hang them on the main door. Hang fairy lights of white or yellow bulbs against the frames of your bedroom windows for a magical and mystical feel. Use curtains and drapes of neutral colours.
Another idea is to use a combination of flowers and fairy lights to decorate the doors and windows of the house. Decorating with fairy lights is sure to set the mood for a party. There are many different ways in which you can use them around the house. One way is to bunch them up together and place them in mason jars. They can be left at the corners of the entrance stairs. The other way is to wrap them around bird cages and hang from the patio ceiling.
Black-tie affair
Line up your living room with tables of different sets of games — from Roulette to Blackjack, from Monopoly to Bridge. Add a signboard against the wall of each game table. Use multi-coloured lights and bulbs across the room. Red carpets will add a new dimension.
To recreate Arabian nights kind of a theme, take multi-coloured chiffon saris and drape them into a canopy from ceiling to floor. Use dim lighting — preferably yellow lights. Lanterns will be even better. Line the corners of the room with divans, cushions and mattresses; leave the centre stage for dancing. Add decorative candles adorned with dried leaves all across the room.
Let there be more lights
Since Diwali is the festival of lights, adorn the main gate, terrace, balcony, driveway and shrubs in the garden with fairy lights. This is an instant party mood enhancer. For the outdoors, you can also use lanterns which are trending at the moment. Candles add a festive feeling.
You can indulge in some DIY by using empty glass bottles as candle holders. Alternately, use a mix of tea lights and flowers like marigold or petals of rose to form a beautiful arrangement in a brass bowl placed in the centre of your entrance door.
LED candles can also be used for the stairway or terrace. Diwali and diyas go hand-in-hand. You can buy battery operated diyas and decorate your entire home. They are also good for table decor.
Rangoli & flowers
Rangolis are typically made to reflect geometric patterns, figures of Gods and Goddesses or the sacred words and symbols like ‘om’ or ‘swastika’. Create a beautiful rangoli outside your main door with flowers, petals, shimmer grains and colourful powders.
You can also make one on the coffee table and let it be the highlight of your party. As with lights and rangoli, flowers too are synonymous with Diwali. There are varied options to choose from. Add a string of flowers to the curtain rods and pelmets or let them float in a bowl filled with water.
You can also go completely eco-friendly and include potted plants and greens. If you have traditional oil lamps, then, it is time to bring them out for use. Place them with flowers or with the rangoli; use your imagination. Mount statues of Ganesha and Lakshmi on centre tables and dining tables.
Surround them with diyas, flowers and candles. Use these sculptures in terracotta, wood, metal or stone. Look for wall hangings made from embroidered fabric, as they are also common during Diwali.
Games & music
Last but not the least, welcome Lakshmi into your home with a few stacks of playing cards and groovy music. After all, Diwali is not complete without card parties and dancing. Play Rummy, Poker, Blackjack and other fun games. Dance to old Bollywood music and don’t feel shy to shake a leg. Stick to these tips and your Diwali party will definitely be the talk of town!