A Diwali envelope for the family you can’t be with this year.
Light, and a letter, for the people you can’t be with. Write the letter, add the photos, and a film if there’s one to send, so they can hear you say it. Pay once and send the link. They open it on their screen, like the real thing.
Diwali envelope: what goes inside
A letter
The news from home, the rangoli you made, the sweets that didn’t quite turn out. Everything they’d hear if they were there.
Dear Ma, The diyas are lit here too, and the kaju katli is… mostly edible.
A postcard
The diyas on the windowsill, the rangoli before the rain, everyone dressed up.
The rangoli, before the dog walked through it.
A film
The puja, the sparklers, and the family saying Happy Diwali one after another.
1:35 · Happy Diwali, from all of us
Stuck for words? Diwali messages and wishes, for family far away
How it works
Fill the envelope with a letter, postcards and a film — any mix, up to ten pieces, and one price for the whole envelope by what's inside. Pay once, by card. Send the link now, or keep it sealed until the day: no app to install, it opens on any phone, and it's kept for good.
Diwali envelope questions
When is Diwali?
Diwali follows the moon, so it moves each year, usually in October or November. This year it’s Sunday 8 November. Set the envelope to open on the morning, or as the diyas are lit, and send the link whenever suits you.
Can I send it to family abroad?
Yes. It opens in the browser on any phone, anywhere, with nothing to install. The opening time is set in your time zone, so pick their morning if that’s what you’d like.
How much does it cost?
$1.29 for letters and postcards, $5 with a film. One price for the whole envelope, up to ten pieces, paid once by card through Stripe. No subscription.
Do they need an app?
No. One link, opened in the browser on any phone, tablet or computer. They tap the seal and the envelope opens.
When should I send it?
Whenever you like. Send the link straight away, or send it now and set the day and time it opens — until then they’ll see the sealed envelope and a countdown.
Can I change it after I’ve paid?
Until they open it, yes. Sign in with the email you paid with and change what’s inside; the link stays the same. You can’t add anything that costs more than you paid, and once they’ve opened it, it stays as it is.
How long does it last?
For good. They can open it as many times as they like. A film is kept for a year after it’s first opened, and they can save their own copy.
More like this
- Christmas — A Christmas letter that actually gets read, and a film for the ones far away.
- New Year — What this year was, and what you hope for theirs.
- Mother’s Day — Not flowers. The thing you never quite say.
- Father’s Day — A letter from the kids, and one from you.
- Easter — Spring, in an envelope.
Say it properly.
Five minutes to write. One payment. One link they’ll open more than once.