Onam 2026: Kerala snack & gift-hamper guide
By Abdulla K P
What to send for Onam (and why it travels)
The rule for an Onam hamper is: pick items that survive shipping and still feel like Kerala.
- Kozhikodan halwa — the iconic glossy, chewy Calicut sweet. Room-temperature stable, travels beautifully. What Kozhikodan halwa is →
- Maamoul — date-filled cookies that keep for weeks and look elegant in a box. The cleanest gifting item we make.
- Banana & jackfruit chips — the crunch of the Onam table, and famously shippable.
- Sharkara Varatti — jaggery-coated banana chips, a sweeter Onam staple.
- A tin of Kerala chaya — ties the hamper to the tea culture and lifts the whole box.
Skip anything fresh-fried or fragile for a posted Onam hamper — save Pazham Pori and the hot savouries for the table itself.
When to order
| Timing | What to do |
|---|---|
| 6 weeks before (mid-July) | Corporate / bulk Onam orders — lock these first |
| 3–4 weeks before (early August) | Sweet spot for family hampers, including abroad-to-India sends |
| 2 weeks before | Last reliable window for standard pan-India delivery |
| Onam week | Limited — expect delays; order earlier |
Sending Onam home from abroad
Most of the Onam hampers we ship go from Gulf-based and overseas Malayalis to family back in Kerala. You pay with an international card; we deliver to their door with a handwritten Onam Aashamsakal note. How the diaspora send works →
Order for Onam 2026
Browse the gift boxes & festival hampers, read the full Onam hamper guide, or start with Maamoul — the item that anchors most Onam boxes.
Keep reading & shopping
Frequently asked
When is Onam in 2026?
Thiruvonam — the main day of Onam — falls in late August 2026 (the Onam season runs across the Malayalam month of Chingam, roughly late August into early September). Because it's a harvest festival tied to the Malayalam calendar, the date shifts each year. Plan gifting three to four weeks ahead.What snacks do you send for Onam?
The travel-friendly half of the Onam table: Kozhikodan halwa, Maamoul, banana and jackfruit chips, Sharkara Varatti (jaggery-coated chips), and a tin of Kerala chaya. The full Onasadya feast is cooked fresh at home; the hamper is the gifting layer around it.When should I order Onam hampers for 2026?
Order three to four weeks before Thiruvonam for comfortable pan-India delivery, and earlier for bulk or corporate orders. Festival-week orders risk arriving late as couriers get congested.Can I send an Onam hamper from abroad to family in Kerala?
Yes — that's one of the most common Onam sends. Pay with an international card from wherever you are; the hamper is delivered to your family's address in India with a handwritten Onam note.