Diwali Gifts Under 500 for Employees: 6 Festive Ideas

The Quick Shortlist

Short on time? Start with these six Diwali gifts under 500 for employees:

• Mithai-shaped candles: best for very large teams and office Diwali parties

• Lotus urli candles: best when you want the gift used on Diwali night itself

• Handmade tealight holders: best for adding craft without stretching the budget

• Boxed candle sets: best when the gift needs to arrive ready to hand over

• Dry fruit and snack boxes: best for teams who would rather eat their gift

• Steel bottles for daily use: best for field, remote and hybrid staff

1. Mithai-Shaped Candles

Every office Diwali party ends with a tray of kaju katli and laddoo going round the room. A candle made to look like mithai borrows that same moment, and most people do a double take before they realise it is wax. At this price, it is one of the few Diwali gifts for employees that works as well for a team of fifty as it does for five thousand.

Because each piece costs so little, these also make easy Diwali return gifts after an office puja or a team lunch. Soy wax candles burn slower and cleaner than paraffin, and scented candles in familiar notes like rose or sandalwood feel right for the season. Put the logo on a sleeve or label, not on the candle itself.

The Laddoo Candle is hand-poured in soy wax and finished with a silver varq detail, so it could easily pass for the real thing on a festive plate. Starting well under ₹100 a piece, this Diwali gift under 500 for employees suits companies with very large headcounts or anyone building a small festive combo.

2. Lotus Urli Candles for Lakshmi Puja

If you want the gift used on Diwali night, an urli is hard to beat. A shallow lotus-shaped bowl filled with wax sits right at the centre of the Lakshmi Puja setup, and it makes the pooja thali look complete without any extra effort from the family.

The real value is in the bowl. The wax burns down over a few evenings, but the metal urli stays on a side table for months, holding flowers, a few floating diyas or simply the house keys. That second life is rare among budget Diwali gifts for employees, where most items are forgotten once the lights come down.

The Lotus Urli Candle 3.5 inch from Arts Shala has a scalloped gold-finish bowl and burns for roughly six hours. Starting around ₹300, it sits comfortably inside the budget and still leaves room for a greeting card.

3. Handmade Tealight Holders

The festival of lights runs over five days, and a tealight holder gets used on every one of them. It is small, light and easy to pack, which matters a great deal when boxes are going out to branch offices in different cities.

A handmade holder also carries a story that a factory-made diya cannot. Lippan art from Kutch sets small mirrors into clay patterns, rangoli motifs echo what families draw at their doorstep, and no two pieces turn out exactly alike. For an HR team looking at eco-friendly Diwali gifts with a local touch, this category covers both.

The Lippan Art T-Light Candle Holder, considered one of the best Diwali gifts under 500 for employees, comes in several bright colourways with gift box packaging. Starting around ₹130 to ₹150, it lets you add a few tealights and still stay well below ₹500 a head, which makes it one of the easier low budget Diwali gifts to scale.

4. Boxed Candle Gift Sets

A single candle can look a little lonely on a desk. Put two in a proper box, and it becomes a Diwali gift box rather than something pulled from the supply cupboard. Among corporate Diwali gifts under 500, this is the closest you will get to the feel of a hamper without paying hamper prices.

The theme makes the difference here. A Shubh and Labh pair belongs at the doorway or the pooja corner, while evil-eye designs suit colleagues who moved house or started something new this year. Both arrive ready to hand over, which saves the HR team a late night of wrapping before distribution day.

The Shubh Labh Gift Set pairs two soy candles in glass tumblers dressed with traditional motifs, packed in one box. Starting around ₹450, it uses most of the budget but looks as though it costs a fair bit more.

5. Dry Fruit and Snack Boxes

Some people will always prefer a gift they can eat, and most Diwali gifts for staff end up shared with parents and children anyway. A dry fruit gift box does that job well, keeps far longer than mithai from the local sweet shop, and suits almost every dietary preference on a mixed team.

At this budget, a compact box with two or three varieties looks neater than a large box that feels half empty. Almonds, cashews and raisins are safe choices, and a printed sleeve with light logo branding turns a pantry staple into a festive one. For chai lovers, a small tin of masala tea is another good idea.

The Happilo Dry Fruit Celebration Gift Box is a compact festive box made with bulk orders in mind. Starting around ₹250 to ₹300, it works on its own or as the food half of a small pairing with a candle.

6. Steel Bottles for Everyday Use

Not everyone on your list has a pooja corner or a sweet tooth. Sales teams on the road, engineers working from home, and new joiners who have just moved cities often get more from something practical, and a stainless steel bottle travels with them every single day.

Drinkware also keeps your name in view long after the festive décor is packed away. A logo applied with laser engraving stays sharp for years, unlike prints that fade after a few washes. It is a sensible way to round off your Diwali gift ideas for employees when the team is spread across roles and locations.

The Generic OEM Double-Wall Vacuum Steel Bottle keeps drinks hot or cold for hours and takes an engraved logo cleanly. Starting around ₹250, it leaves room in the budget for a small box of dry fruits alongside.

Get Your Diwali Gifts Under 500 for Employees on Time

Handmade candles and holders are made in small batches, so they need more time than stock items. Try to confirm your order at least three weeks before Diwali, and earlier still if you need several hundred pieces or mixed designs.

Fix a budget per head first, then collect delivery addresses for remote staff and branch offices well in advance. Aim to have everything delivered before Dhanteras. A gift that turns up after Bhai Dooj loses most of its festive charm.

How to Order Diwali Gifts Under 500 for Employees with Givoo

Browse the Diwali range on givoo.in, pick a category for each group on your list, and add your logo to the box, sleeve or product. You can review a branded mockup before anything goes into production. For bulk Diwali gifts split across several cities, or different boxes for different teams, request a quote through the site.

Planning Diwali Gifts Under 500 for Employees This Year?

Choose a category for each group, set your budget per head and check the mockup before you commit. Start at givoo.in and turn a ₹500 budget into a gift your team will actually keep.

Frequently Asked Questions