traditions.

As long as I can remember, Eid has been one of my favorite holidays. Growing up, I anxiously waited for my father to give us Eidi (money) after prayer, and it’s quite adorable that he still does that. I love how my mother always makes everyones favorite foods. The aroma of sheer every Eid morning is what woke me up. It’s exactly how kids feel Christmas morning. I think as a child I took all this for granted. There came a time where we didn’t get to celebrate together as a family. My father had to go into work, my brother was off at school, my sister was celebrating in a different country, and I had classes. I am grateful that this Ramadan I was able to spend every day with my family, and Eid was no different. Being united as a family has to be the biggest blessing.

One particular Eid, my mother stayed up all night making me an outfit. It was absolutely perfect. A purple sequenced lengha with a purple silk kameez with gold buttons, and a purple sequenced dupatta to go along with it. Can you tell purple is my favorite color? That lengha was the business. I was ecstatic to wear it the next day. Wearing fancy Eid clothes is equivalent to being a princess (or prince) for a day. And I definitely felt like a princess in my lengha. My mother insisted after prayer I take off the lengha and change into something more comfortable, but I wasn’t having it. I told her it wouldn’t be Eid if I changed out of my clothes. Until nightfall I did NOT take off that lengha, and I’m sure even then I put up a fight.

Still at 26, Eid clothes are important, although some things have changed, that remains the same. No more sequenced lenghas for this girl but I pick out an outfit in advance and leave it strictly for Eid because new clothes are a must. There are so many things about that day I would never alter, and I hope once I begin my family I can keep all this alive. How my father is shouting at all of us to hurry up, so we’re not late for prayer. How my mother is stuffing our faces with sheer, even though our stomachs can’t take it because of Ramadan. How my brother is helping me pick out my shoes and sometimes even my clutch as we rush out the door- and yes, he still does that, how we always forget my little sister, and lastly how I hug my parents first after prayer. These will always be my favorite things about Eid. Family. Traditions.