How to celebrate Holi as an American

Holi, the Hindu festival of colors and love, is celebrated worldwide—including in America! As people living in a culturally diverse country like ours, it’s exciting to join our Indian and other Holi-celebrating neighbors. This guide will show you how to make the most of this festive occasion.

How did Holi come about?

Begin by learning about the origins of Holi: People in ancient India thousands of years ago would build massive bonfires on Holi night, known as “Holika Dahan,” as a symbol of victory over evil spirits. The following day, in Rangwali Holi or Dhulivandan, everyone played with colored powders (called gulal) and colored water balloons (pichkari). These traditions are still practiced today but in different ways, such as with squirt guns filled with colored water solutions instead.

Prepare yourself!

Supplies such as Holi color powder can be found online or at local Indian stores near you, so stock up on vibrant colors such as reds, greens, blues, yellows, oranges, and purples, among others.

Also, if you want, grab some squirt guns they usually come preloaded with paintball pellets, so be careful not to aim them directly into someone’s eyes! When purchasing your own supplies, including safety goggles, cups/buckets for mixing paints, etc. Finally, don’t forget to bring snacks, drinks, and music to energize everyone during the color fight!

After you’ve stocked up, go outside—whether it’s your backyard, front lawn, park, or nearby beach—whatever works best for you. Make sure there isn’t any wind because gusty winds could blow away all of those beautiful colorful powder clouds we’re about to create 😉 

Bring out your buckets and cups, and get ready to mix those colors! Everyone should take turns adding their favorite colors until each bucket has its unique blend; now we have one big party pot full of rainbow goodness!! 

Fill up your Pichkaris / Squirt Guns and let loose… 

Caution: While playing, do not point directly at anyone else’s face; instead, move sideways; there is no need to injure anyone! Now play some music. Have fun and revel in being surrounded by vibrant hues of happiness:)

After the fun, remember that cleanliness comes first; collect used balloons/water guns, then clean areas stained by color residue with water. Once the space is clean, toss your old leftovers into the trash can, and voila! The cleanup is finished.

Enjoy the small moments “Holi” has to offer

What matters most when celebrating holidays like these is not just the rituals, customs, and decorations but the feeling of presence, connection, communication, understanding, and acceptance between people of all cultural backgrounds. So remember to smile, laugh, dance, sing, and shout freely because nothing brings people closer together, like sharing moments of joy and laughter.