Activities For Raksha Bhandan

Homemade Rakhis : Not only do you have a weekend afternoon activity to keep little ones engaged, but also a personalized gift for a brother and/or sister!  Let the kids be super resourceful by using gift ribbons or ties around the house, or take them to a craft store for beads, sequins, and charms.  Incorporating favourite colors, or items that invoke a memory (like a seashell from a beach trip!) are a few ways for making the festival, a thoughtful one.  Give yourself snaps for the extra time the munchkins spend on being creative versus scrolling on a device!

Contributors, Desi Babies

Sweets! After tying the rakhis, siblings feed each other mithai or Indian sweets.  Since many mithais can potentially take hours to make, this tradition presents itself for some delightful kitchen time with the kids….in a fraction of the time!  A fun twist is a sibling making a sweet that reminds them of their brother and/or sister’s interest or personality.  It could be a cookie in the shape of a superhero, a mini cupcake with glittery sprinkles or for mommies in a rush, mithais from the frozen section!  Using pistachio, almond or cardamom for garnish on cookies or cakes adds a special East-West touch our children’s palette will appreciate.

Gift Giving : Reading and colouring together is a wonderful way for siblings to bond while developing their young minds.  Whether it’s a colourful counting book, an adorable introduction to Hindu gods or a beautifully illustrated coloring book, Desi Babies has got you covered!  As a personal touch, a brother or sister gifting the book(s) can write a special message. If your tot is too little to write, a whimsical scribble will do.  Mark the date in the corner for an keepsake sure to make you, and the kiddos, smile for years to come.

Sibling Love : Origin stories for this festival are aplenty with some dating back many centuries, but what they have in common is a sister tying a thread, known as a rakhi, around her brother’s right wrist.  The sister blesses her brother and the brother promises to always protect her.  Hence the other name for the auspicious occasion, Raksha Bandhan or the bond of protection.  Traditionally Rakhi is celebrated between brothers and sisters, cousins of the opposite sex, and men and women who while not related by blood, consider each other family.  But what about sisters, or a band of brothers?

Can a sister not be a strong protector, and can’t a brother wish happiness and prosperity upon his male sibling?  The relationship we have with our siblings is easily one of the most important one we’ll experience in our lives, as these are people are family, peers and friends rolled into one.  Progressing beyond the paradigm of protector and protectee and including all siblings, just might make this sweet festival even sweeter.

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