PW invited parents of the Educon International School, Pune to share their suggestions on how to make festivals meaningful for building family ties

“Nothing brings families together like festivals. In our home, we take great pride in celebrating most of them. Our eight-year-old daughter Shibaani (class III) enthusiastically looks forward to the festival season as she gets the opportunity to meet her aunts, uncles and cousins and learn about family traditions, culture, ethics and values. She also loves to help out in the kitchen with preparation of sweets and savouries as much as she loves cleaning and decorating the house prior to a festival.” — Eshaa Kulkarni, admin officer and primary teacher, Educon International School

“Inevitably we end up celebrating festivals without my husband, an army officer. On many occasions, my four-year-old daughter Kashvi is curious to know why we can’t wait for another day so her dad can be a part of the celebrations. I explain the significance of celebrating Indian festivals on a specific day and time and additionally make her understand that those who serve in the Indian Army give first priority to service of the nation.” — Shweta Ramakrishna, CEO, Trainhos Healthcare Pvt. Ltd

“The festive season is the best time for families to bond and a source of great joy for our three sons — six-year-old Joshua (class I), five-year-old Caleb (KG) and two-year-old Yohan. I am from a north Indian Hindu family while my husband has a south Indian Catholic heritage. Although our religions and cultural norms differ, our value systems are similar. We celebrate Diwali and Holi with as much enthusiasm as we celebrate Christmas and Easter. Our sons thoroughly enjoy the diverse cultures, traditions and the food spreads that each festival brings with it.” — Sangati Seth, engineering director, Cummins Emissions Solutions

“The rich flavour of Indian festivals is a testimony of our diverse traditions and culture. My four-year-old son Dhruva was born on Muharram. Though I am Hindu by faith, I routinely visit a dargah on Dhruva’s birthday and also donate to charity. Every year we also make it a point to celebrate the national festivals of Independence and Republic day and sing the national anthem. In fact, Dhruva loves to play the national anthem on the piano.” — Sneha Narayan, blogger, Autism Cure Possible