The Diwali Corporate Gifting Checklist for HR and Admin Teams
A printable Diwali corporate gifting checklist covering budgets, recipient lists, brand selection, approvals, invoicing, communication and post-festival review.
Diwali gifting involves many moving parts: finance approvals, headcount changes, vendor coordination, leadership messaging and employee expectations. This checklist keeps everything on track.
Phase 1: Strategy (6–8 weeks before)
- Confirm overall festive gifting budget with finance
- Define recipient groups (employees, managers, leadership, clients, partners, vendors)
- Set per-person value for each group
- Decide format: digital gift cards, physical gifts or hybrid
- Align with leadership on the message and tone
- Check tax implications with payroll and finance
Phase 2: Brand selection (5–6 weeks before)
- Shortlist brand categories for each group
- Include inclusive, broadly useful brands
- Add premium options for leadership and key clients
- Consider gold or silver coin cards for Dhanteras
- Confirm denominations available for each brand
HR team shortlisting brands for Diwali gifting
Phase 3: Data preparation (4–5 weeks before)
- Export active headcount from HRMS
- Remove employees serving notice (per policy)
- Include confirmed joiners before the delivery date
- Validate email addresses
- Assign each recipient to a group
- Prepare client and partner lists with relationship owners
Phase 4: Ordering (3–4 weeks before)
- Build the brand mix with quantities and denominations per group
- Request a consolidated quote
- Review quote against budget
- Obtain procurement approval
- Share billing details for GST-ready invoice
- Process payment ahead of festive banking holidays
Phase 5: Communication (1–2 weeks before)
- Draft leadership message
- Prepare redemption FAQ for employees
- Set up a support email for gift issues
- Brief managers so they can answer questions
- Schedule delivery date and time
Phase 6: Delivery (Diwali week)
- Confirm delivery completion
- Monitor support inbox
- Resolve issues within 24–48 hours
- Share festive greetings on internal channels
Phase 7: Review (2–4 weeks after)
- Collect employee feedback
- Review redemption rates by brand
- Reconcile spend against budget
- Document lessons for next year
Common Diwali gifting pitfalls
- Ordering after festive sale season starts, when timelines tighten
- Forgetting contract staff and remote employees
- Sending gifts after Diwali
- Choosing single brands that don't suit everyone
- No escalation path for code issues
Recommended brand mix for Diwali
| Group | Suggested categories |
|---|---|
| All employees | Marketplace, fashion, sweets |
| Managers | Electronics, fashion, marketplace |
| Leadership | Gold coins, luxury hotels, premium electronics |
| Clients | Premium dining, hotels, gourmet |
| Partners | Marketplace, electronics, jewellery |
Who owns what
Assigning owners prevents tasks from falling through the cracks:
| Area | Owner |
|---|---|
| Budget and approvals | Finance + HR head |
| Recipient data | HR operations |
| Brand selection | HR + employee committee |
| Vendor and quote | Procurement |
| Messaging | Internal communications + leadership |
| Delivery and support | HR operations |
| Review | HR analytics |
Employee FAQ template
Share a short FAQ with employees before delivery:
- When will I receive my gift? On [date] by email.
- What if I don't see the email? Check spam or promotions; then contact [support email].
- Can I use it online or in stores? It depends on the brand; details are in the email.
- How long is it valid? Validity is listed in the email; please use it before it expires.
- Who do I contact with problems? [Support email].
Post-Diwali review questions
- Did every eligible employee receive their gift on time?
- Which brands were most popular?
- How many support tickets were raised, and how quickly were they resolved?
- Did we stay within budget?
- What would we do differently next year?
Key takeaways
A checklist with named owners, an employee FAQ and a structured post-festival review turns Diwali gifting into a repeatable, low-stress program.
Plan your program with Orbit's festive gifting solution and read the full festive gifting at scale guide.
Frequently asked questions
Who should own Diwali gifting in a company?
HR usually leads, with finance for budgets, procurement for vendors and internal communications for messaging.
Should contract staff receive Diwali gifts?
Many companies include contract staff directly or through agencies; inclusion is noticed and appreciated.
How do we collect feedback after Diwali gifting?
Run a short pulse survey and review redemption data and support tickets.
Orbit Insights Team
The Orbit by SaverPe insights team works with HR, procurement and sales leaders to research what makes corporate gifting and reward programs effective.
How we research and fact-check