August is one of the most anticipated months of the year for the Indians. It is the harbinger of a series of festivals, starting from Raksha Bandhan. But, this year, the ongoing pandemic has dampened everyone’s festival moods – there would be no holiday travel, no visit to the homes of relatives, no visit to malls/entertainment centres or no going out to restaurants. Your children are likely to sulk the most.
However, the beauty of life lies in making the most of the situation and accepting the way things are. So, why not opt for a low-key Rakhi celebration at home and enjoy with your family? If you are wondering how then here are some exciting ideas to lift your children’s spirits and infuse some fun and fervour in the celebrations.
- Make DIY Rakhis and Cards
Your kids might be doing this every year, but this activity never gets less exciting! Tell them to raid their stationery, art & craft and junk stuff drawers. They can use their imagination or dig out YouTube tutorials to make handmade rakhis and cards for every family member. They can even decorate a puja thali with the knick-knacks available at home.
- Plan a Virtual Family Get-Together
So what if you can’t meet your near and dear ones in person? You can plan a family get-together over Zoom or any other video-conferencing app, send e-wishes their way and indulge in heart-to-heart conversations.
- Cook Up a Feast
While rationing of food is the need of the hour, there is no harm in pampering your family with a few festive treats. After all, what’s a festival without delicious food? Involve your kids in making festive recipes and sweets so that they feel the celebration vibes.
Cook a little more to feed the community helpers in your society or needy people on the streets. In fact, your kids can also prepare meal packets or goodie bags comprising handmade rakhis and sweets to donate to underprivileged people.
- Dress Up for the Occasion
It’s time to show your traditional outfits light of the day or you can even shop online for new dresses to ring in the festive mood. Wear your best dresses on the day of the festival – it will give a feel-good factor about the celebrations, even though at home.
- Click Pictures Throughout the Day
This isn’t a great year, but that should not stop you from capturing your Rakhi memories in the lens. Don’t hesitate to click pictures with your family on this day, no matter how funny or random they may look. A few years down the line when you browse through your old photo albums, you will have something happy to remember and smile about this phase.
- Tell Stories and Read Books About Sibling Love
There isn’t a kid who doesn’t like storytelling! There are several interesting tales associated with Lord Krishna-Rani Draupadi, Emperor Humayun-Rani Karnavati, Yama and The Yamuna, Kind Bali and Goddess Lakshmi among many others from Indian mythology that symbolize sibling bond. Your kids would love to hear these stories and connect with our cultural roots.
If you are looking for some modern-day stories, then you could read children’s books such as ‘Amma Tell Me About Raksha Bandhan!’, ‘Shalu, Happy Raksha Bandhan’, ‘Raksha Bandhan Series by Supriya Kelkar’ and ‘Bringing Asha Home’. Some of these books have beautifully woven heart-warming stories Rakhi celebrations among same-sex or adopted siblings. You can easily order these books from Amazon, Flipkart and other online stores.
- Spend Fun Family Time Together
Pandemic and lockdowns have been quite stressful for your family. Household chores, kids’ online classes, office responsibilities, sanitization of groceries and numerous other tasks keep you busy from spending family together. Take Raksha Bandhan as an opportunity to relax and chill out with your family. Watch a movie marathon, play games, put on groovy music and dance together and plan a karaoke night – there are several options to enjoy!
- Surprise Your Kids with Gifts
Chocolate bouquets, Rakhi hampers and customized gift options – the eCommerce stores have come up with some pretty amazing gift ideas for this festival. Order something special for your kids and see the joy on their face when they receive their surprises!
Hope these ideas will give your family a reason to cheer up on Raksha Bandhan. How are you planning your celebrations this year?
Great recommendations on books. Had I known about these before, I would have ordered. Will do it right away.
This is how exactly we celebrated Rakhi this year! My kids made beautiful Rakhis from all stuff lying at home.