Storytime Theme: Diwali

The fall is chock full of holidays and I’m going to try to squeeze in as many as possible! Today, I’m highlighting a holiday that is so much fun to celebrate, the Hindu Festival of Lights – Diwali! There is a large Indian population in my community and each year we host a large celebration for Diwali with a storytime for the littles, a craft program for elementary school age kids, a dance and song presentation, plus lots of vendors of beautiful jewelry, even more beautiful clothes, and of course, delicious food. It’s one of our largest events we host each year and our Indian community greatly appreciates coming together to celebrate the holiday.

I’m also extremely lucky to have a number of staff members that celebrate Diwali themselves which allows us to create an authentic event that I’m so proud of. But, as I’ve mentioned in the past, if you don’t have people who celebrate this holiday that you know personally, try reaching out on social media or doing some research online. Being respectful is the most important part of sharing culture, heritage, and religion and you don’t want to offer a program that feels fake or misrepresented in any way.

There are some great books on this list that provide basic nonfiction information about the holiday, how it is celebrated, and the customs most often associated with it. Use these as a jumping off point and make a note to let your storytime families know where and how you found your holiday information. Festivals and holidays that celebrate good triumphing over evil are found in so many cultures around the world and this storytime can show just how similar we are!

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