Rashila Adhikari

The festive season is here. The sky fills with colorful kites, laughter spills from every courtyard, cups clink late into the night, and somewhere your wallet sits in a corner, wondering why you treat it like an ATM without refill. Also, it’s the time of the year when flights get pricier than foreign degrees, new clothes feel more compulsory than school uniforms and bus tickets sell out quicker than concert passes.

You dress up, gather with cousins, play cards until your fingers ache, sip sweet drinks, and yes, you spend. Because Dashain isn't a budget crisis, it’s a festival of life. But even festivals have a financial side. The kites fly high, but let’s be honest, so do our expenses.

The Numbers

Festivals are fun, but not free. Behind the laughter and gatherings lie quietly big numbers. And when we zoom out from our rooftop kite fights, Nepal’s economy looks a lot like that tangled spool of lattai string. Remittances accounted for about 12.3% of our GDP (World Bank, 2024). In short, significant portion of the country’s economy relies on funds sent by Nepalese working abroad.

But how do we use that money? A study in the Journal of Advanced Research in Journalism & Mass Communication (2024) says 58.78% goes to daily consumption, 22.48% to health and education, 10.07% to debt repayment, and 8.67% to entertainment. In other words, most of it vanishes into everyday expenses before we even finish counting the bills.

Remittances often jump by up to 50% during festivals like Dashain and Tihar, as families abroad send extra money for travel, gifts and rituals, temporarily boosting household cash and festival spending (Nepal Bankers’ Association, 2024). Also, employees receive a government-mandated bonus equivalent to an extra month's salary, providing a temporary cash boost that often finds its way into festival spending.

In 2024 alone, Nepal’s Dashain, Tihar and Chhath spending was estimated at nearly NPR 200 billion. Imports ahead of the festival touched NPR 262.54 billion, proving that festivals don’t just move people, it moves the entire economy (Ratopati, 2024). Meat alone? Over Rs 3 billion worth was consumed, with goat taking the lion’s share at 54% (Himal Press, 2024). Some analyses of Central Bureau of Statistics data point to a surge of over 30 percent growth in nonfood-item purchases during festival periods. (Tech News Nepal, 2025)

And, it’s not just goats and gadgets fueling the economy. Card games turn dining rooms into mini-casinos, with cash flowing faster than momo orders in Dharahara. Drinks are poured generously, often with credit facilities that would put banks to shame. Kite markets thrive as young kids (and grown-ups reliving their glory days) compete to cut each other’s strings. Families gather, share feasts, swap stories, and debate whose Dashain was more budget-friendly while knowing everyone overspent anyway. According to economists, 30-70% of annual retail trade happens during Dashain, Tihar, and Chhath (Kathmandu Post, 2025). That’s not just culture, it’s half of our entire economy.

But who cares about GDP when the celebration is at peak? Every year this time, the rooftop becomes a cricket stadium, the courtyard a casino, and the kitchen a forever-open café. Then there are the road trips. Every bus is full, highways jammed, and half the nation seems to be on the move. Villages come alive with cousins returning from abroad, carrying both suitcases and expectations.

And our financial literacy? The Nepal Rastra Bank survey (2022) gave us a score of 57.9%, just above average. Most of us know how to use a mobile wallet, but few know how interest works. Basically, we’ve digitized payments without digitizing wisdom.

That’s why celebrations should also be a reminder that enjoying culture doesn’t mean ignoring caution. Just as we plan trips, feasts, and gatherings, we should also plan finances. Saving a little before the festival, tracking spending, and resisting those ‘limited-time festival sale’ temptations might mean fewer regrets once the lights dim. After all, festivals are about joy, togetherness, and prosperity, not about dragging debt into the new year.

Balancing joy and finance

None of this means festival is wasteful. It is culture, memory, identity. The rhythm of rituals, the scent of offerings, the smell of gatherings- these are the things that make festivals worth every rupee. The flicker of lights, the freedom of kites, the shimmer of the rising sun, that’s what fills our hearts with joy. The excitement of finding the perfect outfit, the joy of receiving Tika, and the thrill of spending time with family make festivals overwhelming.

Problem arises when our spending habits turn into a cycle of loans and repayments. Some households have actual savings or financial plans, while others often borrow beyond their means. The thrill of celebration can quickly turn tricky when borrowing becomes part of the tradition. Let’s imagine:

• One neighbor borrows from the cooperative to buy a goat, which he later eats. Technically, he ate his principal.
• Another buys clothes on credit cards, then spends the next six months dressed in guilt while paying the EMI.
• And of course, there’s always that one relative who lends from a “quick loan app” and spends the whole time dodging calls from unknown numbers.

Instead of all these, let’s just picture it. What if we teach children to save a bit of their Dakshina? By next year, they would have their own festival fund. Or, if we can inspire them to invest either in stocks or by growing their piggy bank, it could help fund their higher studies. What could be a better gift than this during the festival?

And, make a budget, even if it’s just on a scrap of paper. Save a small slice of your remittance or salary before splurging. Play cards for fun, not for future debt, and teach the little cousins that happiness is also about saving, not only about buying the newest phone.

So, this time, fly your kites, shuffle your cards, pour your drinks, and wear that brand-new outfit proudly. But give your wallet a festival too, because financial literacy isn’t about killing the fun, it’s about making sure the fun doesn’t kill your future.

Closing thoughts

Let’s make the celebrations a proof that culture can be enjoyed while still respecting tomorrow’s bills. May your homes shine bright with lights, your days be sweet with treats, your celebrations be full of joy and laughter, and may your wallet survive this festive season without trauma.

Best wishes!