A good Diwali post for business does one of two jobs: an offer post, 3 to 7 days before the day, with your price and last date, or a greeting on the evening before or the morning of Lakshmi Puja. In 2026 the festival runs from Dhanteras on Friday 6 November to Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11 November, with Lakshmi Puja on Sunday 8 November. Below are post ideas by business, ready-to-use wording in English, Hindi and Gujarati, and what to avoid.
Diwali is the one festival when almost every customer expects to hear from the businesses they buy from. That's why it's also the noisiest week of the year on WhatsApp and Instagram. The posts that get replies are the ones that arrive early, show something specific, and are easy to act on.
For a ready reference with sizes and greetings, see our Diwali posts page. For the wider season, see the festival marketing calendar.
Diwali 2026 dates and when to post
| Day | Date (2026) | Post your offer by | Post your greeting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dhanteras | Friday 6 November | Tuesday 3 November | Friday morning |
| Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) | Sunday 8 November | Not usually a separate offer day | With the Diwali greeting |
| Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) | Sunday 8 November | Thursday 5 November | Saturday evening or Sunday morning |
| Govardhan Puja and Gujarati New Year | Tuesday 10 November | Saturday 7 November | Tuesday morning |
| Bhai Dooj | Wednesday 11 November | Sunday 8 November | Wednesday morning |
Dates are from Drik Panchang for New Delhi. In 2026 it lists Naraka Chaturdashi and Lakshmi Puja on the same day, and Amavasya-related observances on Monday 9 November. Hindutone, also using Drik Panchang for New Delhi, gives Tuesday 10 November as Gujarati New Year (Vikram Samvat 2083). Panchangs can differ by a day between cities and communities. Check your local panchang before you fix an offer's last date.
A simple Diwali posting plan
- Now to 1 November: post your Diwali collection, gift boxes or packages with prices.
- 3 November: Dhanteras offer, for jewellers, utensil and appliance shops.
- 5 November: Diwali offer reminder, "last 3 days".
- 6 November morning: Dhanteras greeting.
- 7 November evening or 8 November morning: Diwali greeting.
- 9 November: your opening hours for the next few days.
- 10 November morning: Gujarati New Year greeting, if your customers celebrate it.
- 11 November morning: Bhai Dooj greeting, with a gifting offer if you have one.
- 12 to 14 November: thank-you post, and post-Diwali offers if you run them.
Diwali post ideas by business
Illustrative examples. Use your own prices, photos and offers.
Jewellers
- Dhanteras making-charge offer on gold or silver, with the last date.
- Silver coins and small gifts with prices, for families who buy something small on Dhanteras.
- One new design per post, photographed in your shop.
- Opening hours for Dhanteras evening, when many families come in.
Sweet shops and bakeries
- Gift box sizes and prices, with an order-by date.
- Corporate gift boxes with a minimum order and delivery area.
- Fresh-today items on Diwali morning.
- Closed or open days after Diwali.
Boutiques and clothing shops
- Festive collection with prices, two weeks before.
- "Last days" post on the Thursday before.
- One outfit per post for Dhanteras, Diwali night and Bhai Dooj.
Salons and parlours
- Diwali package with price: facial, hair, mehendi, makeup.
- Slots left, posted a few days before, if true.
- Opening hours on Diwali and the day after.
Cafes and restaurants
- Festive thali or combo with price.
- Pre-order platters for home parties.
- Timings on Diwali night.
Coaching institutes
- A greeting from the faculty, with a group photo (with permission).
- Holiday dates and the day classes restart.
- New batch dates after Diwali, if you have them.
Service businesses
- "Get it done before Diwali": AC service, deep cleaning, painting, pest control, with a booking deadline.
- Diwali week timings and emergency number.
Clinics and dentists
- A sober greeting and Diwali timings only. Avoid offers built on patient stories or before-and-after pictures.
Diwali greeting wording you can use
Replace [Shop name] with your business name. Have someone who reads Hindi or Gujarati check the final post once, especially the spelling of your shop name.
English
- Happy Diwali from all of us at [Shop name]. May your home be full of light and joy.
- Wishing you and your family a bright and prosperous Diwali. [Shop name]
- Happy Dhanteras! May this day bring good fortune to your home.
- Happy Bhai Dooj to every brother and sister. From [Shop name].
- Thank you for being with us this year. Happy Diwali and a happy new year.
Hindi
- दीपावली की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ! [Shop name] परिवार की ओर से।
- आपके घर में सुख, समृद्धि और खुशियाँ आएँ। शुभ दीपावली!
- धनतेरस की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ।
- भाई दूज की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ।
- इस साल हमारे साथ रहने के लिए धन्यवाद। शुभ दीपावली!
Gujarati
- દિવાળીની હાર્દિક શુભકામનાઓ! [Shop name] પરિવાર તરફથી.
- આપના ઘરમાં સુખ, શાંતિ અને સમૃદ્ધિ આવે. શુભ દીપાવલી!
- ધનતેરસની શુભકામનાઓ.
- નૂતન વર્ષાભિનંદન! સાલ મુબારક! (Gujarati New Year)
- ભાઈબીજની શુભકામનાઓ.
Offer wording
- English: Diwali offer: 10% off all sweet boxes, till 5 November. Call or WhatsApp [number].
- Hindi: दिवाली ऑफ़र: सभी मिठाई के डिब्बों पर 10% छूट, 5 नवंबर तक। कॉल या WhatsApp करें: [number]
- Gujarati: દિવાળી ઓફર: બધા મીઠાઈના બોક્સ પર 10% છૂટ, 5 નવેમ્બર સુધી. કૉલ અથવા WhatsApp કરો: [number]
A bilingual post often works well: the greeting in Hindi or Gujarati, the offer and number in English, or the other way round.
What makes a Diwali post work
- Your logo in the same corner every time.
- Your number, typed large, readable on a small phone.
- One offer with a last date, or one greeting. Not both crammed together.
- Your own photo: the shop lit up, the sweet boxes, the new set, the team.
- The right size: 9:16 for WhatsApp Status and Stories, 4:5 or 1:1 for the feed.
- Text clear of the edges. Meta's guide for Stories ads suggests keeping about 14% of the top and 35% of the bottom free of text.
Our comparison of Canva, poster apps and agencies for festival posters goes through each of these in more detail.
What not to do on Diwali
- Don't put gods next to prices. Many customers find a Lakshmi or Ganesh image beside a discount disrespectful. Use diyas, rangoli, lanterns and torans, and keep greetings and offers on separate designs.
- Don't post the night before. Offers need a few days. Greetings posted on Diwali afternoon get lost.
- Don't show firecrackers without checking local rules. Several states and cities restrict them.
- Don't invent "was" prices. A crossed-out price should be a price you really charged.
- Don't broadcast to everyone. Promotional WhatsApp messages should only go to customers who agreed to receive them. Our festival WhatsApp campaign checklist covers opt-ins and costs.
- Don't forget your timings. Customers want to know if you're open on Diwali and the day after.
- Don't misspell the greeting. A wrong word in Hindi or Gujarati gets noticed and shared for the wrong reason.
Getting your Diwali posts made
Creative Bee makes your Diwali greeting and offer designs with your logo, number and offer, using your own photos, in English, Hindi or Gujarati. Festival packs reach you on WhatsApp 3 days before the festival, so there's time to ask for changes. Each design comes in 9:16 for Status, plus 1:1 and 4:5 for Instagram and Facebook. It uses festival symbols only and never has AI draw gods or goddesses.
You approve the set on WhatsApp, the files arrive on WhatsApp, and you forward them to your Status. WhatsApp doesn't let any app post to Status for you. See Diwali and weekly posts from Creative Bee.
When is Diwali in 2026?
Lakshmi Puja is on Sunday 8 November 2026, according to Drik Panchang for New Delhi. Dhanteras is on Friday 6 November and Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11 November.
When should a business post its Diwali offer?
In the week before Diwali. For 2026, post Dhanteras offers by Tuesday 3 November and Diwali offers by Thursday 5 November.
When should I post my Diwali greeting?
On Saturday evening 7 November or Sunday morning 8 November. A WhatsApp Status stays up for 24 hours, so an evening post covers the whole of Diwali day.
How do I write a Diwali wish for my business in Hindi?
Keep it short: "दीपावली की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ! [Shop name] परिवार की ओर से।" Add your logo and number, and have someone who reads Hindi check the spelling of your shop name.
Should I use images of Lakshmi or Ganesh in a Diwali offer post?
Many businesses avoid it, because a god's image beside a price can offend customers. Diyas, rangoli and lanterns say Diwali just as clearly.
Sources
All checked 28 October 2026.
- Drik Panchang, Diwali puja calendar 2026, New Delhi (Dhanteras 6 Nov, Naraka Chaturdashi and Lakshmi Puja 8 Nov, Govardhan Puja 10 Nov, Bhai Dooj 11 Nov): https://www.drikpanchang.com/diwali/diwali-puja-calendar.html?year=2026
- Hindutone, Gujarati New Year 2026 (Bestu Varas on Tuesday 10 November, Vikram Samvat 2083): https://hindutone.com/festivals/gujarati-new-year-2026-bestu-varas-date/
- WhatsApp, Status (updates disappear after 24 hours): https://www.whatsapp.com/status
- Meta Ads Guide, Instagram Stories image specs (9:16; 14% top and 35% bottom free of text): https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/image/instagram-story