When we first set eyes on the picture above, it had us going ‘OMG, yes!‘ and laughing till we teared up, all at the same time, as memories of those childhood squabbles came rushing back in a flood. You may love them to bits, or love to hate them at times, but all said and done, if you have a sibling it’s hard to imagine life without them! Your siblings understand you in a way that few other people do, and nobody else has that shared and intimate knowledge of the other that comes with years of growing up together.

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This year in addition to the rituals, the symbolic tying of the rakhi; the traditional goodies and mithai; the friendly banter and the demand for gifts 😉 we wanted to do something unique to bring back the memories and bring alive the fun that characterizes the relationship between siblings. Sounds interesting? Read on for some hatke ways to celebrate Raksha Bandhan with your brother or sister!

#1: Take a walk down memory lane this Raksha Bandhan

Sunday morning cartoons over breakfast; Friday night pizza dinners; weekend trips to the park or beach, every childhood is replete with certain family rituals. Bring back some of your favourite rituals this Raksha Bandhan and relive memories of your childhood with your brother or sister as you go back to being kids again in each other’s company, even if it is only for a few hours.

Take a walk down memory lane…

Con Affetto Stories: Riya, 27 & Arjun, 23 from Chandigarh, grew up in Dehradun with a shared passion for Scrabble. “As kids, Friday nights were Scrabble nights. We would rush back from school on Fridays, finish whatever we needed to and then get down to Scrabble! Even Mummy, Papa knew better than to disturb us, in fact they encouraged us. We would often eat dinner over the Scrabble board and things could get really competitive. Now, with Riya settled in Delhi, those Friday night Scrabble sessions are a thing of the past, but we make it a point to play a game every Raksha Bandhan. Whether it is Delhi or Chandigarh, we take out the time to catch up every year, even if it is just for a day, and the Scrabble board travels with us! And yes, things can get really competitive even now!”

#2: Celebrate this Raksha Bandhan at an amusement park

Nothing is more symbolic of the unbridled fun and abandon of the early childhood years than a trip to an amusement park. A whole day set aside for fun and frolic; exciting rides; enticing food; laughter and shared moments with loved ones, some of our best childhood memories are often associated with picnics or trips as a family. You may be all grown up now but the amusement park can still bring out the inner fun loving child in you. And hey, its a great way to unwind, de-stress and bond with your sibling without having to worry about planning the details. Just book your tickets and you’re sorted!

Bring out the rakhis at an amusement park this year!

Con Affetto Stories: “When we were kids, a trip to Essel World every year was a must in the summer holidays. Some of our best childhood memories are associated with that place” recount Tejas, 37 and Divya, 32. “Now, Divya is in the US, and I’m in Mumbai and we just get to meet once a year. But last year she made a special effort to plan a trip around Raksha Bandhan and both of us had the same idea: Essel World! We took the entire extended family along; our kids had such a blast and we really got to spend quality time together after years. It was the best Raksha Bandhan in years!”

#3 Planning a last minute Raksha Bandhan and don’t know what to do? Try a movie marathon!

The daily grind can get to the best of us, so if you’re one of the many who’ve had absolutely no time or mind space to even think about what to do for Raksha Bandhan, a movie marathon may be the perfect solution! It’s a brilliant opportunity to hang out and catch up, while being able to relax and unwind all at the same time. You could head to the most conveniently located multiplex, or the neighbourhood theatre where you watched movies together as kids if that’s possible! Or, if even that seems like too much effort, just sack out at either of your homes and bring on the movies!

Have a chilled out Raksha Bandhan with your fave munchies & movies!

Con Affetto Stories: Twins Anchal and Abhimanyu, 26, love watching movies but their hectic schedules barely leave them with time to breathe! They often end up watching movies together over the weekend as it also gives them a chance to hang out and a movie marathon to celebrate Raksha Bandhan seemed like a brilliant idea! “We are not really into rituals and stuff. What is important is that you bond with each other and spend time together. This year Raksha Bandhan was in the middle of the week so it was also a day off and much needed respite from work. A movie marathon seemed brilliant! We even got popcorn and ice cream and ate from the same tub like we used to as kids ”

#4 Celebrate this Raksha Bandhan in your pajamas!

We’re talking pajama parties and sleepovers! Back when you were kids, you and your sibling probably shared a bedroom and spent long hours chatting and bickering way into the night. Bring out those jammies and bring back those all night talkathons with a good old fashioned pajama party. You could even throw in some of your favourite grub and organise a midnight feast! It will be a unique Raksha Bandhan all right and a super fun way to bond.

How about some bedtime stories, just like when you were kids?

Con Affetto Stories: “We often plan sleepovers for our kids these days but we never thought of having one for ourselves until one of our kids gave us the idea!” share Preeti 27, Anjali, 32 and Rakesh, 35. “We felt a bit silly at first, but slowly we began to enjoy ourselves and had so much fun that we didn’t want the pajama party to end! We are all in the same city but every one is so involved with their own lives that we barely get a chance to meet. We have decided to celebrate Raksha Bandhan every year with pajama parties so that come what may, the three of us get to spend time with each other.”

#5 Long distance Rakha Bandhan? Raise a toast…virtually!

Miss your sibling terribly come Raksha Bandhan but feel helpless because you are continents apart? Fret not, in the day of Facebook Live and SnapChat, a little social media can go a long way! This year, why not catch up with your sibling over a virtual meal? Just pick a time slot that is mutually convenient and arrange for a snack that suits the occasion! You could go one step further and pick a snack you know your sibling is particularly fond of, or maybe something you both equally relished as children!

Continents apart at Raksha Bandhan? Virtual coffee to the rescue!

Con Affetto Stories: Ridhi, 23 and Rishabh, 27 have celebrated many a Raksha Bandhan together, albeit virtually “We were really close as kids, and now with both of us settled in different countries, we really miss those growing up years when we were always together. Especially on occasions like Raksha Bandhan you really feel the pinch, but it’s difficult to plan a trip every year now with kids in the picture and everyone’s evolving schedules! Skype really came as a blessing to us. Even today, when I feel really low, my first instinct is to check if Ridhi is free for a quick Skype chat and it’s the same with her. On Raksha Bandhan we make it a point to set aside a good one hour for each other and chat about anything and everything. Last year we had this idea of having a meal together, on Skype to celebrate Raksha Bandhan! Our time zones were so out of whack that we could only manage a cup of coffee but it was so wonderful. Best coffee ever!”

So there you have it, some truly hatke ways to celebrate Raksha Bandhan! Movie marathon, pajama party, trip to the amusement park…which one will you pick? Or maybe you have some ideas of your own or some unique experiences you’ve had at Raksha Bandhan with your siblings. Tell us; we’d love to hear from you this Raksha Bandhan!