Diwali Spirit - Its always with you!

This post is part of a fun blog hop I've participated in with some wonderful bloggers I met recently online... It will be fun because you will get to read many perspectives on diwali from many different kinds of bloggers... from food to customs to crafts... to just what diwali means to us... Hope you guys enjoy the hop!!

Diwali means the world to me... Maybe because it has such a strong connection to my childhood.. For most of us I think... It's the time for family and food and festivities.. New clothes and fire crackers ... Cousins and friends....

It's a happy time...

But somehow over the years, maybe because we've grown out of it or have become too busy in our work and looking after our kids.. Somehow the magic of it has diminished...

Last year because it was siddy's first Diwali we did it full blown.... Right from all the small traditions to the food and breakfast to the big party with all of our friends in Jaipur... It was amazing...

But this year.. Instead of doing traditional things we decided to push off for a family vacation.... 

I've been married five years but for some reason we haven't all managed a family vacation till now... So the first chance we got (the husbands Diwali vacations of four days!) we decided to go to Dubai.

While I was super excited for the trip because it was also the little puddings first vacation abroad... I was a bit heartbroken about missing Diwali breakfast the puja and the late night parties full of good food and drinks...

And Dubai.. While it is one gorgeous city in terms of its architectural feats... What would it know of Diwali...

And so we went... And got to our hotel.. And spent the day doing all touristy stuff.. And then came night.. 

And the lights came on...like in a movie...!

Almost 85% homes were lit up in the most beautiful twinkling lights I have ever seen... 

It was such a great feeling to see Diwali.. 

My festival our festival being celebrated in a foreign country... 

We went for a walk and came across so many families bursting crackers while wearing their finest fineries! Little kids running around.. Women gossiping and men laughing out loud...

It suddenly felt like Home and felt like Diwali! 

That evening our family sat together in our room and had drinks and ate some yummy food and laughed and joked and had a great time.. 

And I realised that Diwali is something that's in our hearts and we take it with us everywhere.. It's not in the breakfast or the crackers or the dinner parties.. Those are great parts of Diwali.. But the essence of it is in our hearts.. Engrained forever.. And as long as you have your loved ones around you.. You can have the best Diwali no matter where you are!

And here is all the tradition Diwali decor I did at home this year before leaving, with a little help from the monkey:

Come join a set of fabulous bloggers sharing their Diwali moments , easy Crafts, DIY ideas, Recipes and book recommendations with you .

Starting from today till Diwali and beyond, each one of us will be writing a post related to Diwali.

Participating blogs

Artsy Craftsy mom . Reading Rabbits Library . Food and fads . Cherish Dream Live . My little Moppet . On-board the Mommyship . Roohi's Collection . Colours Dekor . Bumps n Baby  . Hello Mommyhood . A spoonfull of ideas . CraftIsland .  The Keybunch . ParentingMantras . Whats Cooking Mom . Orange kitchens . Quilts & Quills . Fun Activities for Children . Somethingís cooking . Obsessivemom . The Design Enthusiast . Fantastic Feathers . Little aadi ali

So sit back, relax and check out all the fabulous Diwali Dhamaka posts from the participating blogs in the linky.

An InLinkz Link-up

Link in your Diwali posts here

An InLinkz Link-up