Have a lovely Eid, all celebrating MNers

[BeeThirtythree]

AIBU to want to wake DC up to open presents? (Lighthearted)

Exciting watching DD, aged 4, opening Eid eve basket. This year she 'knows' more about what is going on.
DD 1, just wanted to play with glittery gift wrap...after deciding it looked nicer than it tasted

What are your 'family traditions' when it comes to Eid?

Eid Mubarak everyone.

Non Muslim here but wishing you all well and happy celebrating!

Not Muslim here, but Eid Mubarak to all those celebrating!

Non Muslim here, but wanted to add that the lovely family next door brought around cakes and Eid food for us to share, which was such a lovely thought!

Eid Mubarak!

Eid Mubarak!!

Eid mubarak!

Could someone explain eid to me please in a 'non wikipedia' way, it sounds interesting

I'm not Muslim so maybe not the best person to answer, but I'll try anyway and anyone please please correct me if I've got anything wrong!
Ramadan is a holy month of fasting. Where Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.
The fast is broken by a meal after sunset called Iftar.
Eid is the celebration at the end of Ramadan - a simple way of imagining it is kind of like the Muslim version of Christmas Day for Christians.

Ramadan is like a really strict Lent and Eid is like an Easter and Christmas combined.

During Eid, many Muslims live like vampires as Ramadan has strict rules about eating during daylight hours.

@tequila that's a good easy explanation after a whole month of fasting from dawn to dusk Eid is the day of celebration on completing the fasts and trying to carry the good deeds done forward through the year until next ramadhan.

Belated Eid mubarak to all celebrating, and thank you to those who wish us good times.

Need a like button for OhNotSo post.

Eid is the day of celebration on completing the fasts and trying to carry the good deeds done forward through the year until next ramadhan.

Knew Eid was the day of celebration and on completing the fast, but didn't know it was to do with good deeds as well? This is why I love MN. Every day's a learning day

Eid mubarak!! Didnt get anything prepared as such due to last minute confusion on moon sightings but today everyone else is celebrating so hoping to go to the inlaws so I dont have to cook hope you all have a blessed eid!

Eid Mubarak!

Eid Mubarak my lovelies.

See I've never understood the moon sighting thing. Could someone explain that? Surely we know when the moon rises, don't we?

The key is to sight the new moon for the first day of Eid.

Thank you! Every day is a school day! Eid Mubarak

❤️

No worries @tequila and @rossigigi, think with the recent spotlight on muslims this eid has been truly special as people from wider community all have come together to celebrate diversity. So, a big thank you to all the good people like yourselves x

@mrsterrypratchett the months in islamic calendar start with the new moon rising. And a full moon cycle can be either 29 or 30 days, so we technically have to wait until after sunset to actually know if the new moon has come up or not. These days ppl can rely on astronomical calculations, or rely on moon sighting in other parts of the world, both are valid, which means you will find eid being celebrated on two different days. Lol, that's another long technical discussion

@OhNotSoSaintMaria great explanation!

Hope you all had fun celebrating!

Thank you for all the kind Eid wishes...it is lovely receiving wishes, messages, cards, presents and visits from non Muslims. We celebrate Eid at my parents house, each year we siblings invite our friends and along with my parents' friends, we eat, catch up, talk about fasting...eat more, eat, just have a generally happy day. All the guests...oh and there are many (my DM made 6 buckets worth of rice pudding and it all went) are non Muslim!
Don't want to turn the post into a thesis on integrating but as a pp said, their opinions of Muslims have changed since using MN. Brilliant!

I wish more people of all religions would integrate and share their positive qualities...even if you don't follow a religion, you get to learn about another culture usually.

I wish more people of all religions would integrate and share their positive qualities...even if you don't follow a religion, you get to learn about another culture usually.

I completely agree with this. I don't understand why some isolate themselves within their own community - surely it's better to all learn about each other's way of life?
I celebrate Christmas and Easter, but perfectly respect those who celebrate Ramadan and Eid.
Sharing with each other is the way to build tolerance and understanding.
May sound hippy dippy but I don't care, it's true

I'm happy to attend any celebration that involves food, lights or singing. Rent-an-atheist if you will!

@Tequila @MrsTerry My parents always had an 'open house' , many of our friends Muslims/Non Muslims...even a few Atheists (You'd be fine to mingle hehe) just turn up on Eid day!
During Ramadan, my brother's non Muslim friends were present for Iftar (breaking the fast), that summed up Ramadan for my DM, being able to share food and conversation and learn about each other. That friend even celebrated his 30th birthday at my parents house on Eid...I bet that was a first for the cake decorator...Eid Mubarak and Happy 30th Birthday Tom!

Integration removes that 'fear of the unknown' ...This is a long post now...

A few years ago my mother befriended a lady who worked at the local park, DM invited her and family for Eid. That year Eid was close to Christmas, the lady and family drove past our house a few times...they did not think it was the right house as we had a massive Christmas tree in the window! . They were shocked when my, dressed in traditional attire, DF greeted them in the broadest, Northern accent!
They admitted how apprehensive they were at coming as they did not know the customs/not want to offend...all these years later, my DM and our family have become close friends with the lady, her wife and family.

I have seen the positive side of integration, I understand not all communities are as open but little steps, talking to neighbours, offering food, letting your child play with someone of a different culture...it will make a difference!

I went to a friend of mine's Eid when I was 18. Her mum, who didn't speak a word of English, sent me home after feeding me to bursting with two carrier bags full of onion bhajis. Because my mate had told her I liked them. It was awesome.

Much more importantly, she told me though my friend, that contrary to my mother's opinions, I was allowed to eat them with ketchup, which was previously banned in my house. I still remember her when I dip in front of my mum.

And DD, at 6, has been to one Eid, two Hanukkahs and six Christmases. We're missing a Diwali and whatever else I can wangle an invite to. Oh, and Chinese New Year for the last few years.

Whoever tells you that atheists are trying to 'ban' various festivals and celebrations... send them my way.

Also, I said Eid Mubarak to DD's little friend on Monday but her dad was at pick up today and I said hi and sorted summer playdates but didn't know, is it appropriate to say it a few days later or not? Or is it like saying happy Christmas in January?

Slightly worried that this thread has turned into 'MrsTerryPrattchett asks a Muslim MNer questions'

A month prior, everyone will be busy buying fabrics and making an appointment with their tailor for some nice outfit(s). If you're late, you'll just have to buy off the shelf. There'll also be a month long festive bazaar during the month of Ramadhan.

A week or two before the end of Ramadhan, we'll get busy making cookies and baking cakes for visitors and for our own enjoyment. A day or two, we'll get busy decorating and prepping making rice cakes and variety of dishes. On the morning, the men will go to the mosque for Eid prayers and the women will make any last minute prep for whatever needs to be done. Of course the men helps too with housework.

Once the family have their meals, the siblings will from a line from eldest to youngest and wish our parents Happy Eid and seek forgiveness for our bad deeds. Take a family photo posing in our new outfits. Afterwards, we lounge watching tv, playing games, eating all the cookies, etc. while waiting for guests to arrive. Usually the younger family relative will be visiting the elders. Afterwards, we return the favour and visit our friends and family. Our non-muslim neighbours are invited to our home, else we'll packed some dishes, cookies and cake for them. Visiting of fellow muslim friends and family can lasts up to a month.

Eid is excellent if it falls near school holidays since the children/students have more time to visit their classmates. The tradition is if your still a young student(depends 16-18), you'll get a colourful money gift packet both as a visitor or home owner's children..a bit like Chinese New Year hong bao. It could vary from 50pence - £20 depending on the gifter and their relationship with you. This money gift packet is just a bonus. Of course if the family is not well off, it's not expected.The main event is visiting and catching up with friends and family. Muslim celebration in Singapore and Malaysia. Maybe Brunei and Indonesia too.