Festival Gifting Calendar for Indian Companies: Diwali, Pongal, Onam, Eid, Christmas and More

Updated September 2026.

Which festivals should an Indian company budget corporate gifts for?

Most companies we work with plan for four to six festivals a year rather than every regional date: Diwali (national, near-universal), Holi, Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi, and one or two of Pongal/Sankranti, Onam, Eid or Christmas depending on where their offices and client base sit. A pan-India company with offices in Chennai, Kochi and Bengaluru, for instance, often adds Pongal and Onam hampers for those teams alongside a company-wide Diwali gift.

When should we order Diwali gifts for employees and clients?

Place your PO 4–6 weeks before Diwali. In 2026, Diwali falls in early November, so ordering by the last week of September gives enough buffer for branding, mock-up approval and the standard 7–15 working day production window, even if Diwali-season demand pushes turnaround toward the longer end. Waiting until three weeks out is the single most common reason companies end up choosing from limited ready stock instead of a branded, personalised hamper.

What is a reasonable budget for Pongal, Sankranti and Onam gifts?

Regional harvest festivals — Pongal and Sankranti in January, Onam in August/September — are usually gifted at a lighter, token-to-standard budget of ₹300–₹800 per person, since they are typically celebrated within one regional office rather than company-wide. A dry-fruit-free festive hamper, a Kamal Metal Lotus Tealight Holder (₹499, set of 2), or a small artisanal piece from our Deepotsav range fits this band well.

Kamal Metal Lotus Tealight Holder (Set of 2)₹499 · MOQ 50 branded Deepam Brass Oil Lamp Set of Two₹1,999 Kandeel Leather-Handled Jaali Lantern Pair₹2,050 Ganapati Aangan Terracotta Ganesha Diya Set₹1,950 Pushpanjali Metal Floral Tealight Holder₹199 Tamra Surahi Hand-Painted Copper Water Vessel₹1,950

How should companies handle Eid, Christmas and multi-faith workplaces?

For mixed-faith offices, many HR teams choose one neutral "season's greetings" hamper for December that works across Christmas, New Year and year-end, rather than separate Eid and Christmas gifts — a dry-fruit-free festive hamper or a desk-and-tech combo avoids any single-festival branding. Where a company specifically wants to greet Eid (typically March/April for Eid-ul-Fitr) they usually do so as a smaller, targeted gesture to relevant teams or clients rather than a company-wide rollout.

Do festival gift dates change every year?

Yes — Diwali, Holi, Eid, Pongal and most Hindu and Islamic festivals follow lunar or lunisolar calendars, so dates shift by 10–20 days year to year. Sankranti/Pongal (mid-January) and Christmas (25 December) are the two fixed-date exceptions on this list. Build your ordering calendar off the current year's actual dates, not last year's, especially for Diwali where a two-week shift changes your 4–6 week ordering deadline.

Which festival is worth the biggest gifting budget?

Diwali, consistently. It is the one festival almost every Indian company gifts for regardless of region or religion, and it is when client-facing hampers matter most for relationship-building. Budget Diwali at your standard-to-premium band (₹500–₹5,000 per person depending on the recipient tier) and treat every other festival on this calendar as a lighter, more targeted gesture.

Can Meru Gifting handle multiple festival orders across one year on one account?

Yes. Many of our 250+ institutional clients run three to four festival orders a year with us on a standing PO or repeat-brief basis — we keep your branding assets, sizing and delivery-address lists on file so each subsequent order only needs a fresh headcount and budget confirmation. GST invoices, PO handling and brand-colour packaging are available for every order, not just Diwali.