Our Diwali party invites open with a small ritual. The guest swipes to strike a match and light a diya, the flame grows, and the invitation glows into view with your date, venue and dress code. It takes five seconds and it feels like Diwali. If you are inviting family for Lakshmi puja rather than a party, the Diwali invitation card page has more traditional wording.
Plan around the Diwali week
Diwali is five days long and every day has its own plans. Dhanteras is for shopping and small pujas, Choti Diwali is often when friends meet, Diwali night belongs to Lakshmi puja and family, and the days after are for Govardhan puja, Bhai Dooj and visiting relatives. Card parties traditionally run through the whole week, but the most popular weekend fills up early.
Send your invite about two weeks before, and a reminder two days before. If you are hosting on Diwali night itself, start after most families finish their puja — usually a little after the evening muhurat — and say so on the invite.
What to put on a Diwali party invite
- The kind of evening: card party, dinner, open house, rangoli and diya-painting with kids, or a mix.
- Date and start time, plus an end time for open houses so guests can plan other visits.
- Dress code: Indian festive, “something that sparkles”, or a colour theme such as ivory and gold.
- Card party notes: stakes (or “just for fun”), whether to bring chips, and the house rules.
- Food and drinks: full dinner or snacks, vegetarian, and whether alcohol will be served.
- Firecrackers: many families now skip them, and some cities restrict them. Say green crackers only, a sparkler corner, or none at all.
- Parking and the society gate — Diwali traffic is real.
Kids, elders and a quieter Diwali
If children are coming, add a line about a diya-painting or rangoli corner so parents know they are welcome. If elders or pets are part of the household, a cracker-free note is kind and increasingly common. These small lines tell guests what kind of evening it will be, which is what a good invite should do.