How a new item gets onto our list: the backyard test
Every new sparkler, chakkar and flower pot is lit at home first. Here is what we watch for, and what fails.
Planning a family Deepavali by budget
What ₹2,500, ₹5,000 and ₹8,000 buy, and how to spread it over the evening.
Parents often ask us how much to spend. The honest answer is: less than you think, if you choose well.
With ₹2,500, our minimum order, you can have a full evening for a small family: four boxes of sparklers in different sizes, two boxes of small flower pots, a box of chakkars and a bucket kit. Children spend most of their time on sparklers anyway, so buy more of those than anything else.
With ₹5,000, add colour flower pots, a box of colour koti and two peacock 12-shots for the end of the night. Or take our family pack of 60 items and add sparklers. This suits two families celebrating together on a terrace.
With ₹8,000, you can plan two evenings: Naraka Chaturdashi with sparklers and flower pots, and Deepavali night with the bigger fountains and sky shots. Keep the leftover boxes in their carton, dry, for Karthigai or New Year.
Whatever the budget, plan the order: small sparklers first, ground items in the middle, sky shots last while the children watch from the steps.
