There’s so much to look forward to in October, from Oktoberfest, Halloween, the clocks going back, and, for the country’s Hindu, Jain and Sikh diaspora, Diwali.
This year, the festival of lights takes place on October 20, which is a Monday. It means the preceding week and weekend will be packed with Diwali celebrations across London and beyond.
Typically a five-day event, Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil as told by the Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshman (aka Hanuman) story. It will be observed by more than a billion people worldwide and some 1.7 per cent of the UK’s population (some one million people), per the 2021 census.
If you’re celebrating here in the capital, London’s restaurants and public events won’t disappoint. Trafalgar Square will serve as the celebration square, pulling in crowds of revellers, on October 12. Two days before Diwali, on October 18, the British Museum will hold its inaugural Pink Ball (rumoured to rival NYC’s Met Gala), drawing inspiration from the landmark’s exhibition Ancient India: living traditions. Hounslow, Wembley and Ilford, home to some of the capital’s largest Asian communities, are set to hold their own local events.
Meanwhile, the great and good of London’s restaurants are poised to roll out special Diwali menus - eating and drinking being a major part of any party. If you want to join in, you won’t be short of events to attend.
Hindu, Jain and Sikh households across the country will mark the incoming lunar year with poojas (prayers), rangoli (traditional decorations) music, fireworks and, of course, tables heaving with food.
Naturally, presents are part of the order of things, with cash typically being handed to kids in beautifully decorated envelopes. If you’re looking to give something more personal to give to friends and family or want to take something to your Diwali party hosts, we’ve rounded up the best offerings below in a Diwali gift guide.
Shop now, and have a happy Diwali.
Winter Warming Curries Masterclass at Cinnamon Kitchen City
While Diwali itself will be heaving with food and drink, make the good grub stretch well into 2026 by booking into a culinary masterclass at one of London's premier Indian restaurants.
Hosted by chef Vivek Singh, you will start with breakfast and a kitchen tour before learning the art of elevated Indian dining. Under expert guidance, you'll learn to make dishes from across India - think Old Delhi-style chicken curry, fragrant Keralan fish dishes and staunch favourites that originated in Rajasthan. You'll finish at the table, tucking into the fruits of your labour before leaving with a full belly and a signed cookbook from the great chef himself.
The masterclass will be held on January 17, 2026.
Buy now £250.00, Cinnamon Kitchen City
Cutter & Squidge Diwali Luxury Hamper
A hamper designed to excite every one of the senses, Cutter & Squidge has family gifting in the bright box with this hamper. There's something for everyone here: sweet, savoury and keepsakes to make the festival of light really shine. Go one extra and add a bouquet to up the ante on this thoughtful Diwali gift.
Buy now £134.99, Cutter & Squidge
Creed Oud Zarian
New Year, new scent? A fresh fragrance is a great way to mark a new chapter and Creed's new Oud Zarian will find fans amongst those who love sweet and spicy spritzes. The hero ingredient? A prized oud resin, collected from the heartwood of the Aquilaria tree, which has taken 80 years to develop.
Anoint pulse points sparingly - a little of this goes a long way.
Buy now £495.00, Liberty
PRYA Hindi Name Necklace
Finding a name necklace can be a challenge when you've got an Indian name. PRYA merges Western style with ethnic heritage with this personalisable nameplate necklace, which showcases your name in elegant Hindi script. Get it in 18K gold plate, silver plated or 14K rose gold - and watch your recipient beam with joy.
Buy now £42.00, PRYA
Forest Essentials Morning Ritual Gift Box
Luxury Indian skincare brand Forest Essentials brings the ancient science of Ayurveda into the 21st century. Teamed with beautiful packaging, the products are an absolute joy to use and keep on display on any dressing table.
This Morning Ritual gift box has four products to help you get ready for the day: Reviving Sanjeevani Beauty Elixir 15g which acts as a primer, Pure Steam Distilled Rose Water 50ml to cool skin, a day cream in Soundarya High Performance Cream With 24K Gold and SPF 30 High Protection 15g, and Delicate Facial Cleanser Mashobra Honey, Lemon and Rosewater 50ml.
Buy now £70.00, Lookfantastic
Dishoom Masala Dabba Tin
Every Asian household in the world probably has some iteration of this spice box in the cupboard; Dishoom has done it with the sense of style that the restaurant chain has become famous for.
Its box is rectangular rather than round, and spices are decanted into square tubs so they fit perfectly - no jostling around here. The key spice players are all here, from Dhania Powder, Jeera Powder, Deggi Mirch, Haldi, Amchur, Kasoori Methi, Badi Elaichi and Choti Elaichi, plus four signature masala blends.
Buy now £42.00, Anthropologie
anatomē x Trishna - Golden Blend Essential Oil Room Diffuser & Room Spray
Legendary Marylebone restaurant Trishna has teamed up with Anatomē this Diwali for a gift to alight the senses: a home fragrance diffuser. The scent is inspired by the southwestern cuisine for which Trishna is famous with hints of cardamom, black pepper and tonka in the mix.
Buy now £95.00, Anatomē
Gem Island Laxmi Necklace
Into jewellery layering? This lovely pendant necklace depicts the Indian goddess Lakshmi, a major deity for worship over Diwali. The piece is finished in 24k gold plate.
Buy now £146.00, Wolf & Badger
Kama Ayurveda Kerala Candle (190g)
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I mean, it is the festival of lights, after all. What better way to mark the occasion than with a lovely scented candle? This one contains mood-boosting spices from Kerala, offering a transportative effect that you'll love in deepest winter.
Buy now £80.00, Harrods
Kulfi Lip Snack Glossing Lip Balm
This tube of Kulfi gloss has been living in my bag ever since I got it - it's my new favourite tinted lip balm. The formula leaves behind a hint of colour and gloss (but crucially, never stickiness), keeping lips nourished and hydrated for hours. I also love the way the shaped tip glides across the contours of my lips perfectly. An easy win for any beauty lover.
Buy now £22.00, Space NK
LUSH Mango Lassi
Who hasn’t downed a mango lassi and wished they could bathe in it? It’s clearly a sentiment that ethical bath and body brand LUSH agrees with, as evidenced with this special ediiton shower gel inspired by one of India's most popular thirst-quenchers. There are notes of coconut in the mix too, promising to transform bathtime into a heavenly-scented ritual.
Finish with LUSH's Mango Kulfi body cream, also part of the Diwali range, for top-to-toe sweetness and softness.
Buy now £9.00, LUSH
Desi Daru No.2 Mango Vodka
ABV: 41 per cent
Using the Hindi word for booze (daru), this fun and flavour-rich vodka is crafted with a blend of English and Indian ingredients, making it fitting for celebrating both nations.
It's spiked with Indian Alphonso mangoes, widely considered the best variety, for a delicious spirit that's very hard to resist (so don’t even try). The attractive orange-yellow ombre glass and tall shape make a striking impression - one you’ll want to keep around long after the final drops have been eked out.
Buy now £36.50, The Whisky Exchange
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Diwali Edition
The famous Scotch brand has joined in Diwali celebrations this year with a commemorative bottle. The special edition of Blue Label is finished with Festival of Lights-motifs on the bottle and can be engraved for the whisky lover in your life.
Buy now £172.00, The Whisky Exchange
Rampur Double Cask Diwali Spiced Manhattan Bottled Cocktail
Made with whisky from one of India's longest-running distilleries, this rangoli-decorated pre-mixed cocktail is a party-starter in a bottle.
The Manhattan is spiked with double-cask firewater and muddles with Sweet Red Agora Rosso Vermouth and Bittermens Buckspice Ginger Bitters with enough booze in the bottle to pour five drinks. Finish with a slice of orange and toast to a very happy New Year
Buy now £24.99, Drink Supermarket
Jaisalmer Gold Indian Craft Gin
Gin more your thing? As well as whisky, Rampur Distillery also makes this spiced and fragrant Jaisalmer gin with ingredients as prized as Kashmiri saffron and rose petals. For Diwali, it's dressed up the spirit in a gilded bottle, making it a wonderful gift to present to your Diwali party hosts.
Buy now £40.75, The Whisky Exchange
Craveable by Seema Pankhania
The days of living on beans on toast are over, thanks to viral chef Seema Pankhania. Her first cookbook is full of flavourbomb recipes that fit the bill, however you're feeling - in the mood for savoury, sweet, or just something to soak up a hangover.
Buy now £17.03, Amazon
