Deepavali Decorations Debate Resurfaces As TikTok Creators Compare Festive Displays

As Deepavali approaches, the recurring debate over the perceived lack of festive decorations across Singapore has resurfaced, with TikTok creators once again speaking out and drawing comparisons with the Halloween and Christmas decorations put up each year.

One creator, justheressentials, questioned whether minorities had remained too silent about the issue, pointing to what she sees as a recurring disparity in festive decorations.

Another creator, shannonkreissi, also weighed in on the issue, examining how economic priorities may influence the visibility of different cultural and religious festivals in Singapore.

She pointed to Christmas' more secularised and commercialised nature as a reason for its greater visibility compared with Deepavali.

The issue has also surfaced in Malaysia, where a local influencer called out MyTOWN Shopping Centre for appearing to prioritise Halloween decorations over Deepavali festivities.

In a 2024 analysis, researcher Yu Depeng examined how Christmas and Deepavali are represented differently in Singapore, arguing that Christmas is often presented as a more secularised and commercialised celebration that appeals to a wider audience, while Deepavali is more closely associated with a specific religious and ethnic community.

This distinction reveals how the commercialisation of festivals may influence their visibility in public spaces.