What should be the most celebrated time for Muslims can sometimes be the most predictable: Eid arrives, you wear a new outfit, and after Eid prayer, your family drags you from house to house, visiting uncles and aunties, just like last Eid, and the Eid before that.
But while visiting family is a big part of the holiday, Eid should not be predictable and boring. It’s a time to celebrate Eid with family and enjoy yourself.
Here are some ways to make this holiday more festive than last year’s.
1. Get the kids involved
Tired of going out to your relatives’ houses, drinking tea and making small talk year after year, while the kids sit quietly in their new outfits, bored out of their minds? Get the kids more involved. Have them blow up balloons, cut crescent moons and stars out of construction paper and hang the decorations around the house. Get streamers, lots of different kinds of food, and invite family and neighbors over. Pass out little party favors to the children. Remember that Eid with family is a time of celebration!
2. Get out of the house
Eid doesn’t have to be an at-home thing. Take the celebration elsewhere! Try Eid bowling or Eid go-kart racing. That way, both the kids and the parents can have fun. You’ll also end up with a ton of pictures you’ve never had before of Eid.
3. Make handmade gifts
Eid is a time to give gifts to family members. If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to do this, try handmade gifts. Kids can make homemade gifts, too. It can be crafts, a mix CD of your favorite Nasheed, or simply wrapping a special dessert you made. Imagine getting (or giving!) a basket of baked cookies, a handmade bracelet and a mini Dua book—it’d be a gift you’d never forget.
4. Give back
There’s never a better time to give back than on Eid with family, when you’re remembering all that Allah has given you. Round up friends, family, whoever, and spend a couple of hours at the local food pantry or soup kitchen. Eid is a day of celebration, but not selfishness. Volunteering a few hours of your day at a food bank or shelter is an amazing way to implement the spirit of Eid (bonus: it’s good Dawa too!).
There are plenty of ways to make this Eid a memorable one. Ask family members for ideas and what they prefer to do and try to build from there. Don’t spend this day simply taking off a day of school or work, sleeping in, and missing the point of this blessed holiday. A little bit of pre-planning can be the start of a tradition worth celebrating.
