Eid Traditions

Hi everyone! Happy (almost) spring break and Eid Mubarak! I hope your time off is full of restful nights of sleep (or late nights playing video games. both are acceptable) and tons of joy and whimsy. I have a super fun blog planned after break, so be sure to look out for it!

Eid is easily my favorite holiday, and my family and I have so many fun traditions that I look forward to every year. This Eid, Eid-al-Fitr, marks the end of the Islamic month of Ramadan. It's a time of celebration spent with close friends and family where we share delicious food and exchange gifts. A lot of my friends are curious about how we celebrate, so I figured it would be nice to write about it for this week's blog.

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Photo: Pinterest

On Chand Raat, the night before Eid, my sisters, mom, and I do our henna! I'm the designated henna artist in the family, which is both an honor and a tragedy. By the third or fourth hand, my knuckles cramp up like I'm writing a high school English essay. I really enjoy replicating different designs, though, and spend a long time finding the perfect ones on Pinterest!

My henna strategy (if you're curious) is putting my hands in plastic shopping bags when it's done and leaving it on overnight. I wash it off on Eid morning, and the color becomes dark red and the design lasts for at least a week. I really enjoy having my henna done and should honestly do it more often since it's so fun and pretty!

My family and I start our Eid morning at the mosque for Eid prayer. We get dressed up in our Eid outfits, Pakistani shalwar kameez, and accessorize with bangles and jhumkas (earrings). I love taking photos with my digital camera in my front yard and feel like an early 2000s Bollywood baddie.

Then my family and I go out for breakfast place. My mom and I drink bottomless mugs of coffee to try and make up for thirty days without it (I love the little hazelnut creamer cups). I always have a skillet (smothered in cheese!) and really enjoy the quality time with my family over a hearty meal.

Photo: Pinterest

We open presents and FaceTime our relatives once we get home. It's traditional for kids to receive Eidi (Eid money) from their elders (parents, older siblings (me), etc.). I got my little sisters some pretty epic presents this year, so I'm really looking forward to their reactions (Munha if you're reading this, I'm not telling you so don't ask). After that the food coma catches up to us, and my sisters and I watch a movie and nap.

One of my family friends usually hosts an Eid party in the afternoon, where we all flex our Eid bands and eat really good Pakistani food. This year, Eid lands right before spring break which is super awesome, so I don't need to stress over missing class and have a week to compensate.

And that's my typical Eid! I know every family has their own little traditions, which makes the holiday super special for everyone in their own way. I hope everyone has a really great spring break!

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