Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, celebrates new beginnings and victory of good over evil. Every year between October and November, millions come together for this joyous celebration. Diwali, also known as deepavali, comes from the Sanskrit term meaning "row of lighted lamps." According to National Geographic, clay lamps decorate the outside of homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness.  

Diwali usually involves large gatherings and in-person gift exchanges, but festivities will look very different this year with social distancing rules in place. Ecards are a great way to wish friends celebrating this festival a Happy Diwali from afar. While traditional cards can be pinned on the wall or framed for safekeeping, ecards allow for more personalization. You can animate text, add music, or share a voice message. In this article, I'll show you how to easily spruce up an ecard.

Make your Message Animated

A photo from familiar faces always makes a great card, and it's really easy to make. Get creative with your message by adding animation in a few steps! I'm using Kapwing, a free online photo and video editor, to make this card. Make sure your text is selected and click, Animate. There are currently nine animations to choose from and three speeds.

To help get you started, click the Make It button below to create your own version of this card.

You can change when text appears by clicking Timeline and dragging each clip to the desired place.

Bonus tip: Diwali is a beautiful time of the year. Colorful Rangoli designs detail floors, and fireworks light up the night sky. Traditionally, bursts and sparkles from fireworks are believed to help ward off evil spirits.

In ancient times, Rangoli designs were made at the entrance of homes to welcome guests while beautifying homes. Rangoli designs are made with various materials like colored rice, dry flour, and flower petals, and are thought to bring good luck. Make your ecard colorful by adding bright elements to capture this experience. Below are some images of Rangoli designs to get you inspired!

Add a Voice Message

Think of thoughtful Diwali wishes and write them down to practice out loud before hitting the record button. Rehearse your message a few times so it sounds natural and engaging. When you're ready, find a quiet room to begin recording. Click Record at the top of the studio, then Record Audio. Click the Play button at the bottom to listen to your message. You can always delete the audio and record it again if you're not happy with the results.

Make a Musical Card

If listening to the sound of your voice makes you cringe, then adding music is a great alternative. Musical cards are a great way to capture the mood of a holiday. If you've added animated text to your card, it will already be a video. If not, click Timeline and choose a duration. Click Audio to drag and drop an Mp3 file or paste an audio or video URL.

If you've created a video outside of Kapwing and only need to add music, try Kapwing's Add Audio to Video tool. Just click upload or paste a URL to your card, then upload the MP3 file.

I hope this article helped you create a memorable ecard for friends observing Diwali! For more content, make sure to subscribe to Kapwing App on YouTube and follow us on Twitter @Kapwingapp.  

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