If you went past our home or indeed any home on the evening of Saturday 17th October and found all the lights were on, it was not because we just felt like maxing the electric grid, but because we were celebrating Diwali; the festival of lights, where lanters are lit to welcome the goddess of light and prosperity. And it was also my son’s 6th birthday.  We had told our daughter the plan the night before – dozens of balloons blown up at dawn, his favorite breakfast prepared and presents wrapped and waiting, but you know children.  She came up to his bedroom as he woke announcing in not very code, code ‘mummy I can’t blow the carrots up’!  Obviously, Manav then came bounding down to find 6 balloons, a half prepared breakfast and some crudely wrapped presents – not as planned, but all good.

After the morning celebrations, we headed to my parents for a family get together and then dinner at my in-laws, where we all recited our own take on diwali.  Basically, we release the old and welcome the new, in terms of the physical and in terms of our inner light – all good stuff and the perfect time for me to launch my  very small or putting a positive spin on it – thoughtfully edited collection of products.  I shall add more, when and only when I find things that serve a purpose, are beautiful, natural different from that which can be found in every other shop or site.