The festive season is full of cheerful activities, revisiting delightful traditions and a chance to bestow values onto the next generation. It is also a great time to reflect on how much has evolved in the way we express our celebrations and the meaning of the festival itself. Raksha Bandhan originated as a simple ritual of a sister applying Kumkum tilak on the brother’s forehead, tying a simple Rakhi on his wrist, the customary sweet treat and a token gift.
Enter 2021 – there are uncountable different and exciting ways to celebrate Rakhi – beginning at the many types of Rakhi you can choose to tie on your brother’s wrist and culminating in the personalized activities you can plan to elevate the celebration.
This Rakhi, Here Are A Few Trends That You Can Hop On:
The Handmade Rakhi is back in trend with Crochet, Quilling, Resin and Macrame being a few to top the list of Rakhi crafts. With just a few materials and DIY Rakhi Craft Ideas, you can create your own affordable and personalized Rakhis. Don’t forget to design your Rakhi so that you can save them to re-use as a curtain tie, purse charm or brooch. What’s not to flaunt about your eco-friendly approach to the celebration?
Insta-worthy Sibling Activities:
Festivals give us a reason to come together as a family to rejoice and celebrate our memories. Here are a few simple activities you can share with your Insta-family:
Take photos twinning in matching outfits: Remember when parents thought it would be cute to see all their kids in the same outfit? Flaunt this age-old custom on social media with matching outfits. Don’t forget to make it Insta-worthy – if you are keeping the celebration lowkey in covid times, go with a casual and cool tie-dye look or go all out traditional– after all every celebration is a great excuse to dress up!
Make a Photo collage: Flip through your old photo albums and create a scrapbook of all the memories you share or make a virtual photo collage to upload to Facebook and Instagram
Handmade Cards And Gifts:
It is a tradition for a brother to gift something to his sister on Raksha Bandhan as a token of their bond. These days, it is not uncommon to see sisters reciprocating the love. Sisters – it is time to up the gifting game with handmade cards! With a few colourful papers, a pair of scissors and a Youtube Handmade card tutorial , you can make a handmade card in less than 30 minutes.
Homemade Sweet Treats:
Gone are the days when the celebration ended with the traditional laddoo and kaju-katli. Make it an activity day in the kitchen and bake a sweet treat. Try out an easy family-friendly baking recipe like a classic oreo cake, banana muffins, or no-bake cheesecake or get your hands on a DIY Baking kit and get baking with the kids. Believe me, no gift makes a brother happier than his favourite homemade treats!
Spend Quality Time Together:
Festivals are a time to create memories with each other – so remember to make the most of it by spending offline time with each other. Here are a few ways in which you can engage your clan:
DIY Paint Party: This is a great option for family parties – in person and virtual. With just watercolours and paper you can engage the kids and anyone in the family in making Rakhi cards for each other. To add to the excitement, you can also order a fluid art kit and organize a fun paint party with pouring paints.
Draw A Funny Picture Of Each Other: As simple as this activity may sound, it can be a lot of fun. it’s a great way to bond across all ages in the family, learn how we perceive each other and often hilarious to see the results.
Play Card Games & Board Games: Get your kids started on the nuances of “ghulaam chor” or bring out the classic UNO cards and Monopoly.
Movie Marathon Night: Watch the latest family-friendly animated movies released on Netflix or have a Marvel movies marathon if the brothers please so.
Go on – look beyond the cliched rituals and double the festive fun with your children!
Mansi Zaveri
Janani S Koushik
Kanishka Pariani
