Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November 2026. Many families celebrate over several days around it, and which days matter most varies by family, region and tradition. Whatever your own plans look like, there's usually a lot to fit together: visits to relatives, cooking, cleaning and decorating the home, gifts, sweets, new clothes, and school and work on either side. A little planning ten days ahead means more time for the celebration itself.

The quick answer

• Map your days: decide which days matter to your family, and put them on the calendar with the visits and meals
• Work back from the main day: shopping, cooking, cleaning and gifts, each with a date
• One shared plan for the household and relatives, so nobody has to ask the same questions twice
• Keep lights and flames safe, especially around young children and pets

Diwali is celebrated by many communities, each in its own way, and this guide doesn't try to say what your celebration should look like. It's simply about organising the practical side, so your family has time and energy for the parts that matter to you.

Map your days first

Start by deciding which days matter for your family this year. Diwali is on Sunday 8 November, and many families celebrate across several days around it. Which days matter most varies by family, region and tradition, so follow your own family's or community's calendar. Then check what's happening around those days: school, work, clubs, and anything else that needs to move.

Check school and work on either side

School and work arrangements vary, so check your own school calendar and work plans rather than assuming the dates will be treated differently. If your child has a school event or activity around those days, add it to the plan as well, and think ahead about any late nights before a school day. In Petal Home, each plan can have more than one reminder before it, like the day before and an hour before.

Work back from the main day

Most of the stress comes from doing everything in the last two days. Give each job a date, working back from the main day:

• About ten days out: confirm who's visiting whom, who's hosting, and any travel
• About a week out: plan the food and make the shopping list, and think about outfits and gifts
• The weekend before: the big clean and any decorating, with children helping where they can
• The days before: the main shop and any cooking that can be done ahead
• The main day: a simple running order, and a few jobs given to named people

Lists that everyone can add to

A shared list keeps the planning in one place, and gives every adult and older child a way to add what's needed. A simple set of sections works well: Food, Home, Clothes and Gifts. In Petal Home, a shared list can be split into sections, each item shows who added it, and ticking it off shows everyone it's done. Lists and sections are free, and with Premium, each item can also carry who it's for, a price and a quantity, which is handy for gifts.

A household reminder can be assigned to one person, with a due date, so jobs like collecting an order or booking a table reach the right person's phone.

Keep lights and flames safe

• Place lamps and candles in suitable heat-resistant holders on a stable surface, away from curtains, decorations and anything that could catch fire
• Keep them out of reach of young children and pets, and never leave a lit flame unattended
• Keep loose sleeves, scarves and other clothing away from flames, especially fabrics that could easily catch fire
• Consider battery lights in the places that are hardest to keep safe, like near small children
• Blow out flames before you go out or go to bed

One shared plan with relatives

When grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins are all involved, the most useful thing is one plan that everyone can see. Agree the times, who's bringing what, and where everyone is going, and put it in one place. With Premium, a countdown shared with the household can hold the date, a note, and the lists and reminders for the day, so everyone can see how many days are left.