Lohri is a popular harvest festival celebrated mainly in North India, especially in Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Delhi, where it holds immense cultural and emotional significance. Observed every year in mid-January, typically on the night before Makar Sankranti, Lohri marks the end of the peak winter season and symbolically welcomes longer, warmer, and more hopeful days ahead. Families and communities gather around large bonfires, offer traditional foods such as sesame seeds, jaggery, popcorn, and peanuts, and sing folk songs that celebrate abundance and joy. It is a festival deeply rooted in gratitude for a good harvest, prayers for prosperity in the coming year, and a strong sense of togetherness that brings relatives, friends, and neighbors closer in shared celebration.
The Lohri bonfire is the heart of the celebration. Families and communities gather around it, offering food and prayers, circling the flames while singing traditional songs and clapping in rhythm. As people gently toss sesame seeds, jaggery, popcorn, and peanuts into the fire, they do so with a sense of gratitude for the harvest and hope for prosperity, good health, and peace in the year ahead. Elders share blessings, children run around joyfully, and everyone takes turns walking around the fire (parikrama), silently making wishes and expressing thanks. The fire represents warmth, positivity, and the burning away of negativity, fears, and past hardships, making way for happiness, new beginnings, and growth in both personal and collective life.
Overall, Lohri signifies new beginnings, hope, and thankfulness. It reminds us to appreciate nature’s gifts, celebrate togetherness, and step into the new season with positivity. It is a gentle pause in our busy lives that encourages us to look back at the months gone by with gratitude and look ahead with renewed energy, optimism, and faith. The warmth of the bonfire, the laughter shared with loved ones, and the simple act of offering seasonal foods to the fire all symbolize letting go of past worries and inviting joy, prosperity, and good health into our homes.
At BeeBuddy we believe festivals like Lohri create meaningful moments for families and help children connect with rich cultural heritage. When children participate in these rituals—whether it’s circling the bonfire, singing folk songs, or sharing sweets with friends—they don’t just enjoy a fun evening; they also learn important values like gratitude, respect for nature, and the joy of giving.
For Lohri craft ideas that you can do at home with your child—using simple, child-safe materials you likely already have—you can click here: