Every Diwali there's a moment at the door. You're holding the mithai box, they're thanking you for the mithai box, and by Tuesday nobody remembers who brought which one.
Nothing wrong with sweets. But some homes deserve more than that. A family's first Diwali in a new house. A couple with a new baby. Parents you don't visit as often as you should. For those, you can bring something that's still on the wall next year.
We make heritage pieces for Sikh, Punjabi and Hindu homes in the diaspora. These are the five we'd bring ourselves.
1
Sabr and Shukar linen banners
$49.99 each
Sabr is patience. Shukar is gratitude. Hung as a pair, they say the two things most families are trying to hold onto, in a script the elders can read and the kids are still learning.
Printed on cotton linen with a wooden hanger, 19.6 by 10 inches. Small enough to fit anywhere: over a doorway, beside the prayer corner, in a hallway that's been waiting for something.
It's personal without being about one person, so it suits any home you're walking into.
2
The Spiritual Lighthouse
$319.99
Walk toward it and you see the Khanda. Walk past it and you see the Ik Onkar. It's a 63 inch walnut floor lamp, and it gives the empty corner of a room a reason to exist.
This is the gift people never buy for themselves, which is exactly why it lands. Think parents, a couple in their first home, or the house that hosts everyone every single year.
It comes in four designs, so you can match it to the home you're giving it to. Ships with a North American plug, with EU, UK and AU adapters available if it's going to family overseas.
3
The acrylic lamps
$59.99
The Lighthouse's little sibling. A 5.9 by 8.6 inch acrylic panel that glows warm on a side table, a nightstand or a bookshelf.
There are thirteen designs, including Mool Mantar, Sabr, Shukar and Waheguru Tera Shukar Hai.
Easy to gift, easy to carry to three houses in one evening, and it doesn't ask anyone to rearrange their living room.
4
Name banners in Punjabi and Hindi
$59.99
Their name, in Gurmukhi or Devanagari, on linen. For a new baby it goes above the crib. For newlyweds it's the family name by the door. For grandparents it's the thing they point to every time someone visits.
Over 2,500 names are ready to order. Can't find theirs? Custom names are made in 1 to 2 working days.
5
The Nazar suncatcher
From $39.99
The nazar has watched over doorways and nurseries for generations. This one is hand-finished glass, and when the afternoon sun comes through the window it throws colour across the whole room.
Four sizes, from a 6 inch piece up to a 12 inch statement.
Buy 3, take 20% off. Buy 5, take 30% off. If you have a list of homes to visit this Diwali, start here.
Still deciding?
Here's the whole list by budget.
Under $60
For the home that hosts everyone
