Diwali season used to mean getting together, catching up and making plans as they came along. Now, the plans seem to start weeks, sometimes months, in advance. One Save the Date lands in the group chat, followed by another, and suddenly the calendar is filling up faster than you can reply.
For many of us, Diwali has become one long run of dinners, parties and gatherings, each one promising good food, familiar faces and a reason to dress up. But with so much happening, how do you decide what makes the cut? And when does festive fun start feeling like a social obligation?
This Diwali, we’re spilling the chai on the social calendar. From choosing between competing invitations to dealing with the fear of missing out (FOMO), we asked members of our community how they’re navigating the busiest few weeks of the year and whether all these plans are still part of what makes Diwali special.
For me, Diwali has always been the easiest way to make friends, especially when you’ve just moved to a new country. You meet one person, they invite you over, and before you know it, you’ve got a whole new group.
So when we’re new somewhere, I’m happy to say yes to pretty much every Diwali invite that comes my way. Once I’ve been around for a while, though, the rules change. Close friends and my closest circles obviously take priority.
And if no one is hosting on Diwali Day, I’ll happily do it myself. I mean, it’s Diwali. Someone has to celebrate!
FOMO is definitely real, too. The one party I still remember missing was in Jakarta when I had just moved there. There was this massive Diwali bash with glitz, glam, a DJ, music, teen patti, and basically the works.
Everyone in my core group went, and came back talking about it, and yes, I was annoyed I’d missed it. That is completely my kind of party.
Do we have a lot of Diwali parties now? Absolutely. Can they get repetitive? Sometimes. You’re seeing the same people and having the same conversations, but I still love that one big party where everyone goes all out.
I’ve hosted one myself in Bahrain and loved seeing the expat crowd dressed up and getting into the spirit of it. If I have multiple invitations on one night, my close friends win, no question.
I might pop into another party, show my face, do my PR and then head to where I actually want to be. What I love most is the festivity in the air, from Rakhi all the way to New Year.
We dress up, make sweets and celebrate with friends who have become family, which feels even more special when you’re away from India. The one thing I can absolutely do without? Diwali gift exchanges. We’re way past that stage. Thank God I’m not in India!
I’m part of the Bangkok expat group, and I really love the bonhomie of our community, so when Diwali season comes around, I try my best to be part of most of the invites I receive. With so many invitations pouring in, we are quite honestly spoilt for choice, so FOMO isn’t really an issue for me!
I’m a very social and extroverted person and genuinely enjoy these large gatherings filled with so many of my favourite people. Diwali parties are something I always look forward to, not least because it’s the perfect excuse to finally air those sarees and admire what everyone else is wearing!
I do try to make it to as many events as possible, although when invitations overlap, practicalities like distance and Bangkok traffic can sometimes decide which one makes it onto my calendar. If there’s one downside, it’s the exhaustion that comes with back-to-back events.
I love the chance to catch up, meet new people and have everyone together in one place, but even I need a little time to recover. That said, I wouldn’t trade the madness of Diwali for anything.
I try to live life with maximum enjoyment and celebrate every happy occasion that comes my way, so when the Diwali invitations start coming in, I genuinely try to be part of as many as I can. For me, it usually comes down to whoever invites first. I block that date and look forward to it.
Honestly, FOMO isn’t really part of my vocabulary. I’ve learnt to be fully present and happy wherever I am, enjoying the celebration rather than worrying about what I might be missing elsewhere.
I also don’t feel that the packed Diwali calendar has taken away from the fun. I love dressing up for each occasion, soaking in the festive energy, seeing everyone in their best spirits and taking part in cultural activities.
It keeps me connected to my roots, which is what makes these celebrations meaningful rather than exhausting. If there’s one thing I could happily do without, though, it’s the rich, high-calorie food that comes with the season!
I absolutely love dressing according to the theme of each celebration, but all those extra calories? I could definitely skip those.