The Festival of Light Your Name Here

HOLIDAY NEWSLETTER PROJECT

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PERIOD 5 OCTOBER 2012

INDIA’S RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS The Hindu celebrations of Diwali, Holi, Pongal and Dussehra are the most popular religious holidays in India and therefore are considered by the government to be public holidays. This means that all children have the day off from school and most employees have the day off from work.

Diwali is a major Hindu festival more commonly known as the “Festival of Lights.” It is a day to INSIDE THIS ISSUE: celebrate the victory of good over evil with celebrations focusing on lights and more recently, fire- works.

INSIDE STORY 2 The annual Hindu spring festival is called Holi, or the “Festival of Colors.” Holi takes place in late March or early April and lasts for five days. The holiday is meant to honor the death of Holika in or- INSIDE STORY 2 der to save Prahlad. Pongal is an Indian festival celebrated in order to give thanks for the harvest. It is traditionally cele- INSIDE STORY 2 brated at the time of harvesting of the crops, and as a result is a celebration of the success related to the event.

INSIDE STORY 3 Duseehra is among the most important festivals celebrated in Southern India. As a day 10 day celebration, there are activities ranging from worshipping goddesses to exhibiting colorful toys. It is also INSIDE STORY 4 known as the day of worshipping weapons; More recently, “weapons” have been replaced with “tools of the trade,” therefore people worship items such as computers, cars, machines, and cooking utensils.

Christians in India decorate banana or mango trees. They also light small oil- burning lamps as Christmas decorations and fill their churches with red flowers. They give presents to family mem- bers and baksheesh, or charity, to the poor people. In India, the poinsettia is in flower and so the churches are decorated with this brilliant bloom for the Christmas Midnight Mass. In South India, Christians put small clay lamps on the rooftops and walls of their houses at Christmas, just as the Hindus do during their festival called Diwali. PAGE 2

FOOD AND FESTIVITIES This story can fit 150-200 words. upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product. One benefit of using your newsletter as a promotional tool is that you can reuse You can also research articles or find content from other marketing materials, “filler” articles by accessing the World such as press releases, market studies, and Wide Web. You can write about a variety reports. of topics but try to keep your articles Caption describing picture or graphic. short. While your main goal of distributing a newsletter might be to sell your product Much of the content you put in your or service, the key to a successful newslet- newsletter can also be used for your Web ter is making it useful to your readers. site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web A great way to add useful content to your publication. So, when you’re finished newsletter is to develop and write your writing your newsletter, convert it to a Web site and post it. own articles, or include a calendar of

“Fortunate is the one who has learned to Admire, but not to envy. Good Wishes for a joyous Diwali and a Happy New Year with plenty of Peace and Prosperity.”

RECIPE This story can fit 100-150 words. your customers or clients. updated every issue, for instance, an ad- vice column, a book review, a letter from The subject matter that appears in news- If the newsletter is distributed internally, the president, or an editorial. You can letters is virtually endless. You can in- you might comment upon new proce- also profile new employees or top cus- clude stories that focus on current tech- dures or improvements to the business. tomers or vendors. nologies or innovations in your field. Sales figures or earnings will show how your business is growing. You may also want to note business or economic trends, or make predictions for Some newsletters include a column that is

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CHILDRENS FESTIVITIES This story can fit 150-200 words. upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product. One benefit of using your newsletter as a promotional tool is that you can reuse You can also research articles or find content from other marketing materials, “filler” articles by accessing the World such as press releases, market studies, and Wide Web. You can write about a variety reports. of topics but try to keep your articles short. While your main goal of distributing a newsletter might be to sell your product Much of the content you put in your Caption describing picture or graphic. or service, the key to a successful newslet- newsletter can also be used for your Web ter is making it useful to your readers. site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web Web site and post it. A great way to add useful content to your publication. So, when you’re finished newsletter is to develop and write your writing your newsletter, convert it to a own articles, or include a calendar of

FOODS AND FESTIVITIES This story can fit 100-150 words. If the newsletter is distributed internally, also profile new employees or top cus- you might comment upon new proce- tomers or vendors. The subject matter that appears in news- dures or improvements to the business. letters is virtually endless. You can in- Sales figures or earnings will show how clude stories that focus on current tech- your business is growing. nologies or innovations in your field. Some newsletters include a column that is You may also want to note business or updated every issue, for instance, an ad- economic trends, or make predictions for vice column, a book review, a letter from your customers or clients. the president, or an editorial. You can

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Instead of having traditional In India, Father Christmas or Christmas Tree, a banana or Santa Claus delivers presents to mango tree is decorated. children from a horse and cart. HOLIDAY NEWSLETTER PROJECT PAGE 4

GIFT GIVING Diwali festival, the most celebrated festival in India, is also associated as the largest gift giving and shopping festival in India. The tradition of exchanging gifts and shopping is very popular during Diwali. People go out of their way to splurge them- selves and their loved ones as it is associated with prosperity. This tradition of shopping and exchanging gifts has been harnessed by marketers today. Most manufac- turers and suppliers launch their products or announce attractive schemes to attract the people and people are willing to spend at the time of Diwali. Corporate India sees a boom time during diwali. There is a complete shopping and gifting spree at this time of the festival.

Significance Behind Exchanging Gifts on Diwali Diwali Gifts Tradition in Present Times The basic idea behind the tradition of exchanging Diwali Gifts Today the exchanging of gifts is not so simple. The Diwali is to accelerate the feeling of love, bonding, affection and ap- Gifts exhanging tradition has grown to new heights in present preciation. People convey their respect, good wishes, blessings, times. It is considered socially mandatory to exchange Diwali love and appreciation for their dear ones through gifts. Since Gifts will all near and dear ones, including friends, relatives, Diwali is a religious festival, sending Diwali Gifts also symbol- neighbours, colleagues and business associates. Great impor- ises one's prayers to the almighty for the prosperity and well tance is given on the product in this materialistic age unlike being of the recipient. ancient times when feelings behind gifts were far more important. There are wide variety of gift options. The traditional gifts Early Tradition of Exchanging Diwali Gifts like Lakshmi Ganesh coins, idols, puja thalis etc are quite Gifts are exchanged on diwali day and this is not a recent popular on Diwali. The other traditional gifts like sweets, dry trend. From ancient times this has been followed. During early fruits, chocolates, decoratives come in stylish hampers and times, when Indian households solely depend on farming and fancy Diwali packing. People also exchange electronic gadgets, cattle rearing for their livelihood, even then people used to give artifacts, jewelry, wrist watches etc. on this day. their farm produce on this day. Sweets and decoratives were also produced at home and gifted. These gifts that time were not expensive but they were considered a token of love and good wishes.

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RESOURCES List all resources used.

www.diwalifestival.org/dhanteras.html

www.whychristmas.com/cultures/india.shtml

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