16 Things to Make this Eid Special for family

For a number of Muslim families, Eid is simply a twice-yearly routine that doesn't change: get up, pray Fajr, eat breakfast, go pray, hug Eid Mubarak, come home, maybe go out, maybe have people over, eat, eat, eat, get gifts or Eid money, eat, and sleep.

This year, why not make Eid the special holiday that it is? Here are some ideas of things you can do with the family to get out of the usual yearly Eid routine.

1. Plan in advance

Call a family meeting a week before and plan what you want to do on Eid day. Invite others over in the afternoon, and have dinner at a restaurant in the evening? Or vice-versa? Discuss ideas with the family, including all of the kids.

Also, talk about the menu and delegate cooking responsibilities instead of dumping the whole workload on mom.

And make sure EVERYONE has a day off from work, school or any other commitments.

2. Clean and decorate the home

Get everyone in on this. Make the house as sparkling clean as you can. If there is enough time and the weather is warm, consider white washing the house and putting mattresses and bedding outside to air out.

Then, once the house is virtually spotless, decorate it with lights, banners, streamers,etc. Get the younger kids involved in this process. Have them make decorative signs saying "Eid Mubarak" and post these around the house.

Put an Islamic song on the CD or cassette player so everyone can sing or hum along while they work. The ideal one would be A Whisper of Peace which features the song "These are the Days of Eid".

3. Make special food

Make something special which the family does not normally eat, it can be sweet, sour or in-between. The point is that Eid is special, and the food we eat on this day should be better and different from our usual meals.

4. Set up a family gift exchange

Put each family member's name in a Kufi and have each person pull one out. Whoever picks a person's name has to buy or make that person a gift. One catch: babies have to get gifts from everyone.

5. Have the kids make gifts for each other

If you're not into the gift exchange idea and want everyone to get a present try this. Arts and crafts are the best tool for making these gifts. They are personal and cheap, and save useless trips to the shopping center.

You can have the kids collect all of the odds and ends they find during the Eid house clean up in a box. Then they can use these things to make strange but meaningful Eid gifts .

6. Buy new clothes

Kids will not feel Eid is special if they are sporting the same Shalwar Kameez, suit or Thobe they've worn on Eid for the last two years. Invest in Eid and get them something new. Or at least get everyone to prepare nice clothes for Eid by washing or getting them dry cleaned.

7. Do this as you plan for new clothes

Have everyone go through their clothes and toys (for kids) to find items they have outgrown. Then arrange to have them sold through a garage sale and give the money to a local Masjid or community fundraising event.

The money can also be sent to Chechnya, Palestine, Kosova, etc.

8. Wash the car

Who wants to go to Eid prayers in a dirt stained car filled with gum wrappers and cookie crumbs? And think about what will happen to everyone's nice Eid clothes sitting in a vehicle like that! Get the car clean and ready. Get everyone in on this. One person vacuums, one cleans the windows, one washes the exterior, etc.

If possible get the car checked and fill up the gas tank so you don't end up with any Eid day surprises.

9. At Eid prayer, look for those who are alone and invite them over

At the Eid prayer place, where a lot of hugging goes on, you will find some Muslims standing alone. They are either new Muslims or new immigrants without relatives and friends. Do hug them and greet them. If possible invite them to your home for a meal. Also inform them of any planned Eid celebrations at any community center.

10. Go to a Muslim restaurant to eat as a family

Not only will you have a family outing on Eid day this way, but you'll be supporting a Muslim business. If the food and service are good, advertise the restaurant to your friends.

11. Video record Eid day events

From the time everyone wakes up in the morning till everyone conks out happily at the end of Eid day, video record this Eid to make it memorable. It will probably make a hilarious piece of family history as well. Give the responsibility for recording to one of the responsible, technologically adept members of the family.

12. Head For The Open Road!

Drive the family out into the countryside and try to get lost on some unfamiliar roads, challenging the kids to help remember the way home. (Always keep a pay-phone quarter, a map and a bag of sweets in the glove box — just in case!)

13. Visit a homeless shelter or food bank and donate your extra Eid food

Also do some Dawa by telling workers at the shelter what Eid and Ramadan are about. Bring pamphlets and other written material.

The visit should remind everyone what it was like when they were hungry while fasting.

14.Share Eid with your neighbors

Make dessert (something simple that everyone likes, like chocolate cake) and write up a small decorative definition of Eid day. Share this with your neighbors.

15. Visit relatives and friends

Make it a point to visit those far away especially. There is almost no better time than Eid.

16. Make Eid evening family entertainment night

If 16-year-old Jameel knows how to play the Duff, while his sister Amira, 14, can write and sing well, let them prepare a few songs for Eid night family entertainment. Also, have 12-year-old Ridwan recite some of his best poetry. Make one of the teens in charge of this event. Help them establish a criteria of acceptable and unacceptable Halal entertainment.

Date/Time Last Modified: 1/28/2003 9:49:01 AM

© 2004, Human Development Foundation. All rights reserved.
1350 Remington Road, Suite W, Schaumburg, Il. 60173
Toll Free: (800) 705-1310 | Email: info@yespakistan.com | Privacy Policy