How we transformed LixBlogs for Independence Day while keeping the experience accessible, lightweight, and ready for future celebrations.
Every blog begins with the freedom to express an idea.
On Independence Day, we wanted LixBlogs to reflect that spirit—not through a large promotional banner, but through small details woven naturally into the platform. The result is a temporary tricolour experience across the navigation, page canvas, controls, loading states, and even our panda.
A theme that belongs to the day
The Independence Day theme activates automatically on 15 August according to Indian Standard Time. There is no manual deployment switch and no dependence on the visitor’s local timezone.
The theme is selected before the page is first painted. This prevents the regular interface from briefly appearing before changing colours. The browser also checks the active theme periodically, allowing the experience to begin and end at the correct local time.
Once the day is over, LixBlogs returns to its regular appearance automatically.
More than a decorated navbar
Our first experiments placed the tricolour primarily in the navbar and sidebar. It looked festive, but the theme felt isolated from the rest of the interface.
We refined it into a continuous page treatment.
A soft gradient now moves across the complete canvas:
- Saffron enters subtly from one side.
- A restrained navy tone balances the centre.
- Green completes the composition on the other side.
The colours remain intentionally light. Stories, controls, and navigation must still be the most important elements on the screen. The theme should provide atmosphere without reducing readability or competing with someone’s writing.
The editor receives the same canvas treatment, so the experience remains consistent while reading and writing.
The colours have functional roles
The palette is not limited to decoration. Each colour has a place within the interface.
Green becomes the primary action colour for buttons and selected controls. Saffron appears in highlights and supporting accents. Navy provides focus indicators, borders, and visual balance.
Navigation icons cycle gently through the three colours. Loading indicators inherit the palette, and the analytics experience uses corresponding chart colours so the theme does not suddenly disappear on data-heavy pages.
We also removed ornamental effects that looked like unintended borders or shadows. Seasonal design works best when it feels integrated rather than layered over the original interface.
A flag-inspired loading experience
Static loading screens are usually forgettable. For Independence Day, the standard loader transforms into a small animated Indian flag.
The cloth has a gentle wave, the Ashoka Chakra remains visible at its centre, and the progress indicator moves through saffron, white, and green. The animation is deliberately calm so it communicates progress without becoming distracting.
Visitors who prefer reduced motion receive a static experience. The celebration should never come at the expense of accessibility.
Our panda joined the celebration
The regular LixBlogs mark is temporarily replaced with the Independence Day panda from our branding collection. It also becomes the favicon for the day.
Hovering over the mark gives it a small celebratory movement. Alongside it, a “15 August” chip identifies the occasion. The chip includes an Independence Day tooltip for anyone discovering the theme without prior context.
These details are small, but together they make the platform feel alive and aware of the moment.
Designed for light and dark mode
A colour treatment that works on a white canvas can quickly become harsh in dark mode.
Instead of reusing the same values, the dark theme receives a separately balanced gradient with reduced saturation and opacity. The tricolour remains visible, but the darker reading environment stays comfortable.
Focus states, text contrast, buttons, and form controls continue to follow their accessibility requirements in both modes.
Built as a reusable seasonal system
The Independence Day experience is also the first complete use of a broader seasonal theme system inside LixBlogs.
Each theme has:
- A unique identifier and display name
- Its own date range and timezone
- A colour palette
- An optional themed icon
- An activation priority
- Styles scoped only to that theme
This structure means future themes can be introduced without placing date checks throughout individual pages. Events can span one day or a date range, including ranges that cross into a new year. If multiple themes overlap, a priority system determines which one should appear.
Most importantly, every decoration stays inside the existing interface geometry. Activating a theme does not add unexpected spacing or shift the page layout.
Celebrating expression
Independence Day is more than a visual theme. For a writing platform, it is also a reminder of why spaces for expression matter.
People use blogs to document experiences, question ideas, teach others, preserve memories, and participate in public conversations. The freedom to write and the willingness to listen are both essential parts of that ecosystem.
Our tricolour theme is a small celebration of that freedom—built into the place where people come to share what they think.
Happy Independence Day from LixBlogs. 🇮🇳
