Every founder eventually asks the same question every September: how much should we actually spend on Diwali gifting? Most advice online is written for large companies with formal budgets, leaving startups to guess. This piece breaks down realistic, numbers-based Diwali gifting budgets for startups — per employee, per client, and for founders and investors — plus a simple framework to calculate your exact number, so your gifting feels genuinely thoughtful without stretching a lean budget too far.