How I celebrate Eid

Eid Mubarak!

Eid Mubarak is a term used by Muslims all around the world. Eid Mubarak means blessed feast or festival and is used as a greeting by millions of Muslims to mark the religious day of Eid-Al-Fitr which marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month which Muslims fast from dusk till dawn each day.

Eid is a religious festival that is celebrated by approximately 1.9 billion people worldwide. Eid al-Fitr is the first of the two official holidays celebrated within Islam.

Eid is all about gratitude, being grateful for God’s blessing and a remembrance of his mercy as well as reflecting on spiritual growth from the month of Ramadan. Charity and community are a huge part of Eid celebrations, giving to the poor and helping those in needs are central aspects of Eid. 

How do Muslims celebrate Eid?

As the meaning suggests, it’s all about food and enjoying a feast with families and friends. Every Muslim celebrates Eid differently, depending on their region, culture and specific traditions but usually it’s a time to come together, spend time with family and friends, enjoy food and share presents with one another.

Common ways that Muslims celebrate Eid:

• Eid prayer – The day starts off with a special and important prayer called Salat-al-Eid which is usually performed in congregation at a mosque but can also be prayed at home.
• Charity – All Muslims are required to give money towards charity to help those in need
• New clothes – Many Muslims wear new or special clothes for Eid as a symbol of renewal and joy
• Visiting family and friends – Eid is a time to visit one another, exchange gifts and spend quality time together.
• Decoration – Some Muslims will decorate their homes for Eid, choosing to adorn their houses with lights and banners 

What did my Eid look like this year?

7-9am

I was awoken by my toddler at the crack of dawn – a fairly usual process but as it was a special day and I was excited for her to see her presents so it didn’t feel so tiring!

To start off the day, we had a traditional breakfast together which was made up of vermicelli, sugar, milk and butter! Not the healthiest breakfast but it’s a tradition for every Eid morning 😊

10-11am

We then changed out of our pyjamas, freshened up and went to pray at the mosque as a family. It was a really special feeling to pray in congregation with others in the community and to feel the buzz of Eid morning as everyone was happy and smiling away. As Eid prayer came to an end, we all greeted each other with ‘Eid Mubarak’.

12-2pm

Once back home, we changed into our new outfits for Eid and my daughter opened all her presents, the excitement on her face to see all her new toys and books was priceless!

2-4pm

We then visited my parents and siblings where we were greeted with a wonderful feast, lots of biriyani, samosas, pakoras, curries – lots of deliciousness! Ava was spoiled with more gifts, and we spent some quality time with our family and friends.

6pm onwards

The day ended with more food and the best part – dessert! This Eid, we were lucky enough to have lots of sweet treats to choose from, lotus Biscoff cheesecake, chocolate cake and brownies. We played games with our family and ate more food – the best end to any day!

Eid is a happy and family orientated day and an opportunity for us all to reflect on those who are less fortunate and be grateful for all that we have.