This year, Deepavali is meeting Halloween. While the Tamil calendar for the US shows that Diwali (for us) is on the 30th, many will be celebrating it on the 31st of October. So it is going to be a wonderful night of pumpkins and diyas for many Indians living here in the US (or even elsewhere) who love celebrating both.

I love finding connections in stories and myths around the world, and believe me, the connections exist, even in the age-old stories. Somehow, the world of centuries ago did not need the power of technology (that we have today) to ensure stories written in one part of the world somehow made their way to another, and in the process, took on local forms and such. Or maybe, in a really weird coincidence, similar stories came of their own separately (unlikely though).

The Connections

I have written about connections like this a few times before, and I do see parallels in these two featured fall festivals from different corners of the world. Though, on the surface, they might appear to be as different as light and dark, good and evil, there is something that, at the core, is the same.

For instance, both festivals use lights to celebrate, with Diwali using diyas and Halloween using jack-o’-lanterns. Both bring communities together in their festivities. And they are both seen as a way to show the difference between good and evil, a way to keep evil spirits away, and to welcome the good.

But this post is about how the two actually are coming together this year (which is likely to happen every so often, given Halloween is always celebrated on October 31st and Diwali, per the Hindu calendar, can fall on any date(s) in late October/early November) and a way to celebrate them thus.

So I came up with a few ideas to blend the two while honoring them both and celebrating both with the right pomp and “spirit!”

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Pumpkins and Diyas: A Wonderful Night to Remember

Glowing Pathways and porches of Diyas and Pumpkins

Light up your home with traditional diyas along walkways and windowsills, while carved pumpkins glow nearby. You can carve elegant patterns into the pumpkins to honor both festivals’ use of light in different ways.

I love how the soft glow of Diwali’s diyas and fairy lights create warm lighting, while Halloween’s lanterns and candles lend their own atmosphere. And this balance of light and darkness is a nice blending of the two festivals.

Rangoli and Jack-O’-Lantern Fusion

Draw traditional rangoli patterns with glow-in-the-dark or luminous colors near your doorstep or inside the house, and add some pumpkin patterns around it. This respects the artistry of rangolis while adding Halloween’s atmospheric glow. So, basically, add a whimsical touch to the traditional!

Note: if you are using non-washable paint, you could paint the patterns on tiles or wood that you can reuse for other events.

Sweet Harmony

Create a shared treat table where Diwali sweets like ladoos, kaju katli, and gulab jamun are placed alongside Halloween candy and caramel apples. You don’t need to make any alterations to the traditional foods—just a delicious spread that celebrates both cultures.

And if you want to be creative, you can make fusion snacks and sweets. Like, pumpkin based Indian sweets! For example, I am loving this playful pumpkin rabri mousse with jalebi from Naturally Nidhi.

Games People Play

Trick-or-Treat Trivia with a Diwali Twist

• Blend: Combines Diwali’s storytelling and mythology with Halloween’s trick-or-treat concept.
• How to play: Set up a trivia game where each correct answer earns participants a “treat” (Diwali sweets or Halloween candy). The trivia questions can be a mix of Diwali myths, traditions, and Halloween facts. Get creative with both the questions.
• Honoring both: This game allows participants to learn more about both festivals while enjoying treats that represent the best of both worlds.

A small starter set of questions (with answers, of course) for you here.

Lights & Shadows Charades

• Blend: Mix light and shadows.
• How to Play: Play charades, but with a twist! Use a flashlight or diya to create shadows on the wall, and the player must act out their clue using only shadows. Categories could include Diwali-themed words (like fireworks or diyas) and Halloween items (like ghosts or pumpkins).

Pass the Pumpkin and Diya

• Blend: A fusion of Halloween’s classic “pass the pumpkin” game and Diwali’s focus on diyas.
• How to Play: Players sit in a circle and pass around both a small pumpkin and an unlit diya as music plays. When the music stops, whoever is holding the pumpkin must answer a Halloween-themed question, and whoever has the diya answers a Diwali-related question. Both players earn points (or treats) if they get their answers right, and if not, then perform a trick!

Glow-in-the-Dark Rangoli Competition

• Blend: Fuse Diwali’s rangoli art tradition with Halloween’s glowing night theme.
• How to Play: Provide participants with glow-in-the-dark paint pens and paper to create rangoli designs. Once finished, turn off the lights and let everyone vote on the most creative design. The glow brings in Halloween’s atmosphere, while the rangoli maintains Diwali’s tradition.

Pumpkin & Sweet Toss

• Blend: A respectful mix of Halloween’s pumpkin fun with Diwali’s sweet-sharing tradition.
• How to Play: Create a target board featuring Diwali symbols (like diyas) and Halloween icons (like pumpkins). Players take turns tossing bean bags (shaped like pumpkins maybe!) to hit the targets, scoring points based on where their bags land. Bonus points if they land on sweets targets!

Related Reads and More

• Five For Friday: Fascinating Facts About Diwali & More
• 7 Great Children’s Books About Diwali
• Diwali: Then Now and Later
• 13 Interesting Facts About Spooky Creepy Halloween Handpicked For You
• 10 Great Halloween Movies Based on Books to Watch Together
• Halloween Reads for All Ages

And Now, the End of this Post

Dear reader, do you celebrate one or the other (or both, like me)? How do you plan to celebrate this year (in any of those scenarios)? What do you think of the ideas here? Which one appeals to you the most and which one will you use? Any other ideas/suggestions that I could use? Do let me know