(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) New fashion trends in UAEs Eid
Asma Al Bahri, 20, UAE national. During Eid, men wear the national dress, kandura and ghutra (headdress), while women wear the thoub. But with new fashion trends, womens traditional dresses have changed. Nowadays, different brands and styles dominate their outfits. Men dress up to go to prayers in the morning, while women wear their new attire, spray perfume and get their hair and makeup done. The oud and bakhoor (home fragrances) are necessary in every home to greet guests. After prayers, Eid is about family visits. Women put on their abayas as they travel from one place to another to visit family members and relatives. Kids, who wear their new kanduras (without ghutras), receive eideya (Eid money) from their grandparents, uncles and aunts. This can vary from Dh5 to Dh2,0000. Eid is candy in Turkey Serap Gezmen, 24, UAE resident for nine years The first day of Eid is kept aside for the elderly. Family members come from across Turkey to gather at the grandparents house and have breakfast together or spend the whole day after breakfast. The salavat (prayers) Turkish people do is called Bayram Namazi, which is an important Eid ritual where family members gather in mosques. Youngsters kiss the hands of the elderly as a sign of respect who in turn give them money, which is called Bayram harligi (holiday pay). Everyone is dressed in new clothes to look nice and tidy. People buy a lot of candy and sweets during the last days of Ramadan to give children who go around neighborhoods carrying a bowl to collect sweets. The sweets are called Seker Bayrami (Seker is a synonym for sugar). Homemade knefe and baklava are Eid staples. We tend to eat and serve sweets all the time during the feast. Second and third days of Eid holidays are for visiting relatives. The zakat or sadaka (money for the less fortunate) is another Eid custom in Turkey. Some people give out food items and cooked food. A part of Turkish custom also includes visiting graves and praying for relatives who passed away. Food celebrations in India Mariah Saddique, 26, UAE resident for 19 years Preparations and celebrations start a day before Eid. Women gather to get beautiful henna designs done, which is a very important Eid aspect in India. Gatherings usually happen in the familys eldest persons home where women get busy cooking with guests coming over. The most popular dessert dishes in India are kheer (milk pudding with dried fruits) and sewian sweet (thin spaghetti). In the morning, men go to pray in the mosques, while family members start preparing for a lavish breakfast. Women dress up in their most elegant and new clothes even if they have no plans of stepping out of the house. Eid is a food celebration in India, so all the desserts are on display since morning. A grand breakfast is served along with rich Indian bread such as paratha and puri. Family lunch is necessary, serving biryani, butter chicken, cottage cheese paneer and gravy korma. After food, there is Eidi, where we ask people who are older than us for money. Even if they are a day older than me, I ask for Eidi since it is considered a token of love and Eid season is our chance to collect them. Family gatherings in Jordan Shaddin Al Masri, 21, UAE resident for four years: Families wake up at dawn to prepare for Eid prayers. After prayers, we usually visit the graves to pray for our loved ones that we lost. It is also a way to celebrate with them and show they are not forgotten. Streets are empty on the first day of Eid because people are busy visiting one another. Relatives and extended family members gather at the familys main house for breakfast that commemorates the end of fast. There is a lot of excitement around Kaak or Maamool (variation of date cookies) that start going around with plain hot coffee after breakfast. Kids go to theme parks or game rides to spend their time. Last day of Eid is when people go out and shops and barbers stay open all day long. Streets at this point get filled up. I love Eid in Jordan because it is very family-oriented, and a reminder of your blessings. It is a great way to celebrate the end of a month of fasting and how you, and your loved ones, went through it together. Forgiveness ceremony in Malaysia Deena Stevens, 24, UAE resident for 14 years: Eid in Malaysia is special because like all other religious ceremonies and holidays, everyone celebrates it. After waking up early and going to the mosque for Eid prayers, grandparents will have an open house for neighbours and family to visit, usually through the paternal side. (The son would return home with daughter in law, and the daughter would go to her husbands family house) Then there is a forgiveness ceremony, where families sit in a circle and everyone apologises and asks for forgiveness. Adults then give all the children money, including unmarried older ones like myself! I enjoy collecting money during those three days from my family! Later, we wear our new Eid clothes, which is typically the Malay national dress. It has to match the same color as your immediate family members. Women usually have henna on their hands before Eid starts. We then have Eid cookies that are called Raya cookies and they remind me of childhood. The feast is all about food and family. Shopping in Pakistan Hussain Fakhruddin, 25, UAE resident for six years: In Karachi, preparations for Eid start during the last few nights of Ramadan. Shopping is on most peoples mind! The night before Eid is called Chaand raat (Chaand means moon), which is the busiest night for shopping malls and streets! Girls and women cover there hands with beautiful Mehendi (Henna) designs and every man, woman and child hopes forat least one new Salwar Kameez to wear during Eid. In the morning, people (mostly men) start off their day by heading to the mosque for Eid prayers. Then then return home to their families and everyone has breakfast together. Sivaiyaan (thin, sweet spaghetti made with milk and optional dry fruits) and sheer khurma (rich hot beverage of milk and bits of dry fruit) are the main sweet dishes found in every house throughout Eid. Then begins the ritual of visiting friends and family, attending Eid gatherings and loads of food! It is customary for elders to give money as Eidi and guests coming over virtually guarantees an increase in the weight of ones pocket! The number of sivaiyaan bowls and sheer-khurma mugs you will consume depends directly on the number of houses you visit. Everyone coordinates their movement so all families get to go visit everyone and are also present to welcome guests. Eid in Karachi is an exhausting, but exhilarating experience; filled with mouth-watering food, Eidi and several mugs of Sheer-Khurma. Doors are open for Eid in Sudan Abdelgadir Eltigani, 26, born and raised in UAE Eid starts with going to the mosque dressed in the traditional kandoora and turbin or just the prayer cap for men, while women usually wear white thoub. Once prayers are done, people go back home to have tea and coffee. Later, it is the round of visiting people, doors are open all day so people just walk in and you have to visit family, neighbours and coworkers. You almost never eat at home because each house you enter has food on the table And then there is the Kaak (date cookies) that come in different forms and sizes. Kids get dressed in new outfits as a mark of celebration. In Sudan, you actually feel the spirit of Eid with the family gatherings and kids running around. A Christmas-ey Eid in Lebanon Futoon Elimas, 24, UAE resident for six years In Lebanon, celebration revolves around four main themes: unwrapping gifts in the morning, huge family breakfast, wishing people and offering blessings, and of course Eid chocolates! On the first day, families have a huge breakfast at the grandparents house where the entire family and relatives gather. At night, people usually go out for a celebratory meal at restaurants with friends and family. Second day is considered a respectful tradition to visit peoples houses and greet them. Theres always chocolates and Eideya (eid money) given to kids in each house. Generous family members also give Eideya to older people like me. Starting from the third day, people start traveling for vacations and those who stay usually go back to their normal routine. First two days are family oriented and everyone on the streets visit and greet one another for Eid. Social life in Egypt Farah Hamdy, 21, UAE resident for 10 years The social interaction on Egypts streets during Eid is what makes the celebration amazing. Neighbours, friends and even people on the streets that do not know each other will start greeting and throwing big smiles. Decorations and Eid songs fill the streets and public transportations few days before the season starts. The streets and shop vendors throughout Egypt do not shut down during celebrations. After Eid prayers, families gather and people call one another to wish. They give out Kaak (Eid biscuits) to neighbours and to the poor. Eideya and new Eid clothes are a must for Egyptian kids. I myself would get tonnes of Eideya by the end of the three-day celebration. On the second and third days, relatives and friends usually hang out in public parks.
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