Twice a year, Muslims join together in celebration of Eid – a time of rest, reflection, and togetherness. Eid al-Fitr takes place at the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha which occurs each year during the sacred month of Dhul Hijjah.
We’ve put together some ideas on how to celebrate and spread the joy of Eid with loved ones!
How is Eid al-Fitr celebrated?
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the month of Ramadan, a period of month-long fasting for Muslims around the world. Physically, Ramadan can be quite tough for many Muslims. Eid ul-Fitr is a reward for this, and a day of celebration with family and friends.
It’s also a means of showing happiness and gratitude to Allah for allowing us to spend Ramadan in His worship.
Eid al Fitr is also a means of fostering good ties among family members, as well as the whole community. Eid is characterised by visiting loved ones, sharing gifts and food, and praying Eid Salah in congregation.
In Islam, Eid ul-Fitr symbolises that by being patient and steadfast, we can earn great rewards. Eid ul-Fitr can be seen to represent the bliss of the hereafter life if one is dutiful and pleases Allah in this life.
How is Eid al-Adha celebrated?
Following the Eid prayer on the first day of Eid al-Adha, we start to offer our own sacrifice – Qurbani – to remember the sacrifice made by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) to Allah (SWT), and celebrate his noble submission to Allah.
A portion of this meat (from a sheep, goat, cow or camel) then goes to help our brothers and sisters in need.
With this sacred act of sacrifice, Muslims reflect on the many significant messages of this story and beyond, including our duty to those who are struggling, the sanctity of Allah (SWT)’s creation and the world around us.
As well as offering Qurbani, Muslims celebrate the day by spending time with loved ones, enjoying the feast of Eid, engaging in increased worship and following the Sunnah (prophetic traditions) of Eid al-Adha.
Eid celebrations
We’ve put together a list of 10 ideas that you can use to make your Eid festival memorable! Feel free to use these as a guide – adjust them to your needs!
Invite others to join in the Eid celebrations with you
During periods of worship or festivals such as Eid, those who have reverted to Islam, as well as vulnerable members of the community may find that they don’t have many or anyone to celebrate with.
Reach out to those who may be in need of company- such as elderly relatives who live alone, and put the call out to them during this precious time. It’s important to remember that our family is our entire Ummah! It’s a memorable way to celebrate Eid for you and for them.
Plan an activity or family outing
For many of us, Eid is synonymous with food. On Eid al-Fitr we celebrate being able to eat during the day again, and on Eid al-Adha, we celebrate with our Qurbani meal! As nice as this can be, it’s easy to gorge and over-do it – leaving everyone lethargic the rest of the day! Why not plan a small meal and plan an exciting activity for your family or loved ones to do during the day? A day out to a national park, the beach, an outdoor centre, or even a group activity like pottery are all memorable ways to experience Eid.
Remix your current traditions
If you already have Eid traditions but want to make them extra memorable this year, why not remix them a bit?
Who usually does the cooking? Why not run a little culinary competition under the head chef’s supervision while getting the food ready to add a little play into the mix?
Mum and dad usually provide the Eid gifts? Why not nominate another member of the family to organise the gifts this year.
Change things up a little this Eid ands create sone new traditions.
A family decorating event
Why not make it a tradition to get the entire family over the night before to prepare the house for Eid? Our modern lifestyles might tear us away from our responsibilities after day 1, but both Eid festivals last a period of days, and one way to remind yourself of that is by keeping the decorations up!
Decorating your environment also adds to the festivity of any occasion, so why not make it a family event? Bring some snacks, enjoy your company, and have some fun!
Go on holiday
If there was any time to book a holiday during the year, it would be for the days that Allah (SWT) has ordained for us days of rest and celebration. If you can, plan a holiday for you, your family or your loved ones and experience Eid somewhere new – you might even end up celebrating with other Muslims around the world and learning new traditions to take back with you!
This one will take some careful planning as there will be multiple people and their schedules to consider, but with a bit of elbow grease, this can be done!
Give back to your community
It’s important to remember that the fundamental premise of Eid al-Adha is sacrifice. While we may sacrifice our money in donating Qurbani, it’s also a nice idea to sacrifice our time- and we can earn great rewards in doing so! T
his may look like volunteering on Eid at a food bank, soup kitchen or community centre and helping others by donating our time. It will be a rewarding experience, and is also a chance to share the joy of Eid with the wider community, and give a helping hand to those in need.
Bake some Eid biscuits
As we prepare our meal for Eid this year, bake some homemade treats to mark the special day. One idea is to bake some Eid biscuits, decorating them with Islamic symbols such as the moon and crescent or spelling out Eid greetings.
This activity will be especially enjoyable for young children as they can get stuck with icing the biscuits. You can then gift the Eid biscuits to family, friends and neighbours and help spread the joy of Eid!
An Eid treasure hunt
Plan an Eid treasure hunt for all the family! A treasure hunt can be enjoyable for both children and adults. Choose a location for the treasure hunt such as a back garden, house or local park and explain the boundaries.
Put together some clues, making sure to keep them hidden, and prepare a surprise treasure for the family to find at the end of their quest. It’s a great way to spend time together, and have some fun while celebrating Eid.
Buy or make your own Eid clothes
One of the Sunnah’s of Eid is to wear the best clothes you have, or to buy new clothes in preparation for the special day. You could make this a fun activity with family and friends by taking a shopping trip together, or even better, to make your own Eid clothes!
This could mean choosing your materials and design and having a tailor make your outfit, or actually sewing the clothes yourselves if you’re able to. Not only will your outfit be unique, but you may learn some new skills and spend more time together as a family in the process.
Plan an Eid picnic
For many of us, Eid is centred around enjoying good food with our loved ones. For Eid al-Fitr we cherish being able to eat again during daylight hours, while for Eid al-Adha we enjoy Qurbani meat. Rather than staying indoors, plan an Eid picnic with family and friends instead.
Weather permitting, you can enjoy your Eid meal in a local park, hill or forest, and enjoy your Eid meal while getting some fresh air and appreciating nice views and scenery and contemplating the beauty of Allah’s creation.
We hope you enjoyed our 10 ideas for a memorable Eid! If you did or have some of your own traditions, you’d like to share with all of us, please get in touch.