Diwali runs for five days, and each one comes with its own people to visit and its own reason to turn up with something in your hands. Most of us handle the main evening well enough. The other four tend to catch us out, usually around 6 pm on the day itself, with nothing wrapped.
This guide gives each day a gift and a hamper to match, all from the Polka Foods range, so you can place one order now and work through the whole festival without a last-minute dash. Prices are as listed at the time of writing (14 October 2026).
A note on dates: the five-day sequence compresses a little this year. Dhanteras is on Friday, 6 November. Choti Diwali and the main Diwali evening both fall on Sunday, 8 November. Govardhan Puja follows on Tuesday, 10 November and Bhai Dooj on Wednesday, 11 November.
Dhanteras and Choti Diwali
Dhanteras is the day for buying something new for the home, and a good day to drop in on neighbours. Choti Diwali comes right before the main festival and is usually small and quick: a few diyas, a few short visits, though this year it shares a date with Diwali itself.
This is the day for small gifts. A full hamper can feel like too much for a neighbour, so a single pack does better. French Heart Puff (200g, Rs. 130), Ajwain Fan Khari (200g, Rs. 130) or Masala Marori Khari (200g, Rs. 130) are easy to hand over at a door. For a little more, Handmade Atta Patti Cookies (400g, Rs. 150) is a home-style choice.
For closer friends, the Evening Chai Spread (Rs. 735) is a step up. It has Crispy Rusk, Eggless Cake Rusk, French Heart Puff and Chatpata Cone Namkeen, so it suits anyone who drinks chai, which is nearly everyone you'll visit.
Diwali Day
The main evening is for family and the most important visits, and it's where the larger hampers belong.
The Festive Gifting Box (Rs. 1,003) is the most gift-like in the range, with Desi Ghee Atta Patti Cookies (360g), Rich Dry Fruit Cookies (400g), Corn Raffles and French Heart Puff. The Heritage Indulgence Box (Rs. 1,153) is the one for elders, built around Desi Ghee Atta Patti Cookies, Crispy Rusk, Eggless Cake Rusk and Kaju Pista Cookies. If you're visiting two or three homes, take one of each so you aren't giving the same thing twice.
At the home where you're the host, try a different approach. Skip the hampers and put out a snack table beyond mithai , so guests have something to eat besides the sweets everyone else has already brought.
Govardhan Puja
Govardhan Puja, also called Annakut, is associated with large spreads of food, and in many families it turns into a day of long meals and extended relatives. People tend to arrive in groups, so a gift that can be shared works better than something meant for one person.
The Chai Time Medley (Rs. 808) suits it well. It has Tea Toast Rusk (600g), Masala Marori Khari, French Heart Puff, Handmade Atta Patti Cookies and Roasted Makhana Fusion, enough variety that a table of ten can each find something. It's also what to bring if you're a guest at someone's annakut meal and don't want to arrive with yet another box of sweets.
For a house with young children, Kids' Tiffin Treats (Rs. 676) is the more practical pick. It has French Heart Puff, Oat and Cranberry Cookies, Millet Kaju Pista Cookie, Atta Rusk, Chatpata Cone Namkeen and Corn Raffles, and it will probably be raided before the adults get to it.
Bhai Dooj
Bhai Dooj closes the five days with siblings. Sisters apply tilak, brothers bring a gift, and it's a more personal occasion than the others, so the hamper should look chosen rather than grabbed.
The Heritage Indulgence Box and the Festive Gifting Box both work well for a sibling. For a brother or sister who works long hours, the Office Munch Mix (Rs. 788) is a good fit, with Eggless Cake Rusk, a multiseed cookie, Corn Raffles and Millet Bhujia Mint.
We have a longer set of ideas for this day in our Bhai Dooj gift guide
Putting It Together: One Order, Five Occasions
The easiest way to get through all five days is to decide now and order once. Here's an example basket for a family with a fair number of visits:
- 2 Evening Chai Spread (Rs. 735 each) for Dhanteras and neighbours: Rs. 1,470
- 1 Festive Gifting Box for a Diwali visit: Rs. 1,003
- 1 Heritage Indulgence Box for the elders: Rs. 1,153
- 1 Chai Time Medley for Govardhan Puja: Rs. 808
That comes to Rs. 4,434 at listed prices, before shipping and any discount codes. Add a few Rs. 130 single packs for the small gifts and every day is covered.
Two tips make it easier. Order early, because festival weeks are busy for every courier and a basket that arrives on 5 November leaves you no margin. nd label each box when it arrives with the day and the person it's for, so nothing gets handed to the wrong household.
Browse the Bundle collection for ready-made hampers, or the Gifting & Festive collection to build your own. For a fuller breakdown by recipient, see our Diwali gifting guide