With Eid just around the corner, there is a frisson of excitement in the air. Even as people stay awake for a better part of the night in worship during the last days of Ramadan, there is anticipation for what comes after that – the celebration of Eid. What is included in preparing for one of the most important festivals of the year? Here is our list of dos and don’ts.
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Everyone has different schedules for Eid day, whether it’s visiting family in the morning or preparing to receive guests. Plan your day in advance so that you can be as prepared for it as possible. Make a note of the houses you have to visit and where they are located so that your visiting route doesn’t take unnecessary time and petrol in getting there! The last thing you want is cranky children on a road trip when all they want is food and Eidi!
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Part of the celebration of Eid is meeting people that you would mostly only see at this time of the year. Don’t be a hermit and stay at home the whole time! Get into the spirit of things and spread joy!
There is nothing like a decoration to get one excited! Whether you have children in the house or not (but especially if you do) even something as simple as balloons can lift the spirits. Children find other festivals so fascinating because of the elaborate decorations they see, and it is definitely something we can incorporate into our celebrations too!
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Have a list of sweets and savory items that are not complicated to make and don’t take up too much time. Most people have a general range of items that they make especially for Eid, and that is convenient as you are experienced in the processes. If you want to have a new dish on the table, make sure you have tried it out before so that you don’t have any disasters at the last moment.
The best part of Eid is truly the exchanging of gifts! Children go visiting for this purpose alone, so always make sure you have enough gifts on hand for them, as there is no greater disappointment than not receiving a present. You may have unexpected visitors dropping by too, so ensure that you have a few extras.
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Try to get your Eid outfits done as early as possible. Ideally, that would be before Ramadan even starts as tailors are often fully booked during Ramadan with orders for Eid. Your best option then would be to just buy something from a store. Always try on your clothes a couple of times to make sure that the fit is perfect and that you actually love them. There is nothing more depressing than feeling uncomfortable in your clothes on a day when you are supposed to be full of smiles. Try them on a few days before Eid so that you have time to alter or exchange it, if necessary.
There is nothing like sugar and excitement to have all the children go a bit crazy on Eid day! That is a lot to handle, especially after a whole month of fasting and worship, so have a small talk with them the day before Eid. Don’t have it on Eid day itself and put a damper on their spirits. Also, they might not be paying attention with the excitement already kicked in!
The best time to start preparing for Eid – whether it is your clothes or the food – is actually before Ramadan. Everything is a lot easier then when you’re not fasting, and you don’t have to worry about time wasted shopping when you could have been engaged in worship. However, with the end of the month nearing, that is a thought for next year! Plan what needs to be done NOW and get to it. There is a mad rush in the days before Eid and you don’t want to spend unnecessary time stuck in traffic, queues, or bargaining.
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Out of the whole month of Ramadan, the most important part – the crux of it all – is the last ten nights. When people are fasting during the day, they have more energy at night to be out and about in town. Don’t spend the most precious time of it all in preparing for one day though. Try to manage your time in the day so that you can get as much done as possible.
Depending on the society, there might be competition between what’s on people’s tables. After not eating for a whole month though, it’s hard to stuff ourselves just the day after, so don’t overdo it. Keep it simple – it will make preparations easy for you, and will ensure no wastage!
This is most important! The stress of preparing for Eid combined with extra worship in the last days of Ramadan can really get to you, but don’t forget that the point of the occasion is to celebrate and spread joy! So don’t be too hard on yourself, and don’t forget to breathe!
