Diwali gifting has become a social media trend. While some employers were reported to be giving iPhones to their employees, Apple is under the limelight for very different reasons. A post on X claims that Apple's India office hands out no sweets or gifts for Diwali. This allegation has set off a debate about corporate festive culture
X user Amish Thaker, who posts as @amishthaker_, wrote that he was "shocked to learn" that Apple's India headquarters gives out no sweets, gifts or anything else for Diwali. He called it 'very surprising' and added that he hoped his information was wrong. He did not say how he came to know this.
Sweets and gifts are a standard part of the festival in India. Diwali is widely marked with prayers, family gatherings and the lighting of lamps, and exchanging sweets and gifts with friends and family is a traditional part of it. Many employers extend the practice to staff. Workplace Diwali gifts typically range from mithai to hampers or practical household items, or in some cases, even iPhone Duo units.
An Apple India Employee Responds
A user named Adam Rizk, @adamr_1776, replied that he is an engineer at Apple India and could "confirm lol". His bio states that he works as a software engineer at Apple, and was previously at Amazon.
Pride Month Comparison
Another user asked whether Apple gives gifts at other festivals such as Christmas. Thaker said he did not know about Christmas or New Year but had been told the company makes a lot of effort for Pride Day or Pride Month. He said there was nothing wrong with that, but argued that a company marking Pride Month could do the same for Diwali, which he called a big festival for everyone.
Netizens react
Not everyone agreed. A user named Sushovit asked why Thaker was shocked that an American company doesn't celebrate an Indian festival, and asked whether Tech Mahindra gives out Christmas gifts in the US. Thaker replied that every company he has worked for has been American, and all of them celebrated Diwali, Eid and New Year.
Another user, Tushar, said anyone angry or offended with Apple could join Patanjali instead. A user named PB offered a joke on the company's logo, saying they give out apples, "half eaten."
Apple's public Diwali greetings
The company does mark the festival publicly. Apple CEO Tim Cook shared Diwali greetings last year with a picture of diyas shot on an iPhone 17 Pro Max. He has done this in earlier years too, including a photo by Mumbai photographer Apeksha Makar in 2022. Those posts concern Apple's public messaging, not its internal practices for staff in India.
