Dhanteras falls on Friday, 6 November this year, two days before Lakshmi Puja on Sunday, 8 November. If you are buying a gift for the day, stay with the tradition: something new in metal for the home, chosen to be used or kept, not just displayed for a week. A small silver coin, a brass diya or a good steel utensil all fit, at very different budgets.
Why metal, and why on this day
Dhanteras opens the five days of Diwali and is the day many families buy something new for the house, usually gold, silver, brass, copper or steel. It is seen as inviting prosperity in, so the purchase tends to be practical as well as auspicious. That makes it one of the easiest gifting days of the year: you already know the material, and you only need to match it to the person.
A gift given on Dhanteras is often taken straight into the evening puja, so think about whether it can sit on a puja thali or near the mandir on the day.
What is different this year
Gold and silver prices have softened since their peaks earlier in the year, which makes a small coin or a light piece a little easier to give. A light piece is still the sensible gift for most relationships, and steel, brass and copper remain the everyday choice. Shopping surveys this season also show many people leaving purchases to the final days, so expect local jewellers and utensil shops to be crowded on Thursday and Friday.
What suits whom
Parents and in-laws
They usually have the puja set they have used for years. Rather than replacing it, add one piece that completes it.
- A silver coin with Lakshmi-Ganesh or a plain bar, for the puja and then the locker
- A brass or silver kalash, diya or small bell
- A heavy brass urli for the entrance, filled with flowers and floating diyas on Diwali night
A couple setting up their first home
This is where Dhanteras gifting is most useful. Newly married couples, or anyone in their first flat, often have little in metal beyond basic cookware.
- A brass or copper water bottle or jug with a pair of glasses
- A small set of steel or brass katoris and a thali for festival meals
- A pair of brass diyas they can bring out every year
Our griha pravesh guide has more for new homes.
Your wife, mother or sister
Light jewellery is the classic choice. Gold has eased well below the record high it touched earlier this year, and both gold and silver dipped again in the last week of October, though prices are still high by any older standard. Bullion dealers expect buyers to lean towards smaller coins and bars this season, which suits gifting well. If you are buying for a ritual or a wedding, there is no need to time the market: buy a lighter piece on the day that matters to you. Jewellers are busiest on Dhanteras evening, so go in the morning if you can, or buy a day or two early and give it on the day.
- A thin gold chain, small studs or a single bangle rather than a heavy set
- Silver anklets, toe rings or a silver pendant
- A silver haldi-kumkum box, which she will use far longer than she would wear many pieces
If you are buying gold or silver, ask for the purity mark and a proper bill, and keep it with the gift.
Friends and colleagues
Precious metals are too much for most friendships. Brass and copper hit the right note.
- A brass tealight holder or a pair of hand-beaten diyas
- A copper tumbler or a small brass incense stand
- A hand-painted brass or metal tray for mithai
Budget bands
- Under ₹1,000: a pair of brass diyas, a copper tumbler, a small brass incense stand, a steel katori set
- ₹1,000 to ₹3,000: a brass urli, a copper jug with glasses, a silver-plated puja thali, a small silver coin
- ₹3,000 to ₹10,000: a solid silver coin of larger weight, silver anklets, a brass lamp of real heft, a silver haldi-kumkum box
- Above ₹10,000: light gold jewellery, a silver puja set, or a statement brass piece for the entrance
Browse brass gifts and spiritual and pooja gifts for pieces at each of these levels.
What to avoid
- Sharp objects. Knives and scissors are widely avoided as gifts on festive days.
- Glass and plastic dressed up as metal. On Dhanteras the material is the point.
- Iron, in some families. Many households avoid buying iron on Dhanteras. If you are unsure, steel, brass or copper are safe.
- Black packaging. Some families avoid black on auspicious days. Red, yellow, gold and natural cloth are always welcome.
- Waiting on a courier. With Dhanteras on Friday and Diwali the same weekend, deliveries are stretched. Buy locally this week, or use a quick delivery app for small brass and steel pieces.
Buying silver and gold as gifts
If you are buying precious metal, keep it simple. Coins and small bars are easy to give, easy to store and easy to sell later if the family needs to. Ask the jeweller for the weight and purity on the bill. For jewellery, choose classic designs in a size that does not need fitting, such as studs, pendants or adjustable bangles.
Presenting a Dhanteras gift
Metal gifts look best when they are not hidden. Place a coin or small piece on a bed of rice or marigold petals in a small brass or steel bowl, add a few grains of akshat, and cover the whole thing with a square of red or yellow cloth tied with mauli. It can then go straight onto the puja thali that evening, so time your visit for the late afternoon, before the puja begins. For larger pieces, a simple cloth wrap or a kraft box with a gota ribbon works well. Our gift packaging guide shows a few easy folds.
In short
- Dhanteras is Friday, 6 November; Lakshmi Puja is Sunday, 8 November
- Give something new in metal: silver, brass, copper or steel
- Parents get a piece that completes their puja set; new homes get everyday brass and copper
- Keep gold and silver simple, with a proper bill
- Gold and silver are below their highs; small coins and bars make easy gifts
- Shop in the morning or a day early, and buy locally rather than waiting on a courier
- Avoid sharp objects and fake metal, and order early
- See our Diwali gifts collection for more
