Crafted with Care: Why Handicrafts Make the Perfect Diwali Gift

Every Diwali, the same question comes up in my family: “What should we gift this year?”
We’ve done the usual boxes of sweets, shiny gift hampers, and store-bought candles. They look nice for a day, but soon they’re forgotten — tucked away in cupboards or passed on to someone else.

Last year, I decided to try something different. I picked up handcrafted pieces from Chinhhari — clay diyas, a wooden candle stand, and a tribal painting for a close friend. When I first held them, I could feel the difference. The diyas weren’t identical; one had a thumbprint, another leaned slightly on one side. The wooden stand had tiny grooves that told me it wasn’t made by a machine but shaped slowly, patiently, by hand.

When I gifted them, the reactions were so different from the usual polite “thank you.” My friend ran her fingers across the painting and asked, “Where did you get this?” My aunt, after lighting the diyas, smiled and said, “Yeh toh waise hi lag raha hai jaise humare gaon mein hota tha.” (“This feels just like it used to in our village.”)

And in that moment, I realized — handmade gifts don’t just sit pretty, they connect. They remind people of stories, memories, and traditions.

Why I now prefer handicrafts for Diwali gifts:

• They feel personal — no two are ever the same.

• They carry a story of the artisan, not just a price tag.

• They are kinder to the earth, made with natural, simple materials.

• And most importantly, they let me be part of an artisan’s Diwali too — because when we buy handmade, we help another family celebrate.

A gift that lingers

Even today, months later, that tribal painting I gifted still hangs in my friend’s living room. Every time I visit, we end up talking about it — the patterns, the colors, the village it came from. None of the glossy gifts I ever bought had that kind of staying power.

This year, when I think of gifting, I know I’ll go back to handicrafts. Not because they’re perfect, but because they’re real. They carry care, tradition, and a bit of someone’s heart. And isn’t that what a Diwali gift should be?