Celebrating Eid While Staying at Home

This Eid is going to be very different for many, especially those still in ‘lockdown’. Recently I have been seeing posts and comments from people saying they will not be celebrating as it feels wrong with people around the world suffering.

Although I commend thinking about others and supporting and donating where you can to those less fortunate, it does not necessarily mean we should put Eid on hold. Our children look forward to Eid. Some children have attempted fasts for the first time this Eid. Surely we should celebrate their achievements? Surely we should do our best to make Eid that little bit special for them? This lockdown is hard enough as it is for them.

And it doesn’t HAVE to involve lots of money.

So what we can we do to celebrate Eid in ‘lockdown’?

Dress up for Eid

Many buy new clothes for Eid but the clothes don’t have to be new; they simply have to be your best. Children generally love dressing up and just because you are at home and may not be going anywhere does not mean you can’t dress up. Get the whole family dolled up…and maybe do your own fashion catwalk with different outfits!

Decorations

There are so many gorgeous Eid decorations now available. But you know what children generally find more fun? Making their own! There are so many templates available online for Eid banners and lanterns etc that you can easily make your own. And if you don’t have a printer, do it freestyle! The best decorations are those that are hand made by children as its genuine love and attention that has gone into them. If you still don’t feel very creative, then you can’t fail with paper chains! I know my youngest loves making them and covering the whole house!

Virtual Eid Greetings

As some of us may still be in lockdown during Eid then we will not be able to see family members the way we usually would and will not be able to spend all day with them. However you can use social media and chat apps to stay in touch and see each other. And there is nothing to say that you can’t leave video calls running all day if you have unlimited internet.

Food

Food is an important part of Eid, there is no denying that! If you don’t fancy cooking then there are usually some takeaways around that are open. But if not, then make the families favourite food and if the weather is nice sit in the garden if you have one and have a picnic. I know in the UK you are now allowed to go picnic in the park (as at todays date) but we will be avoiding it as I have a feeling the parks will be packed.

Gifts

I know that the current situation is putting a financial strain on a lot of families. Don’t put yourself into further debt with elaborate gifts. Perhaps set a budget…or better still make it an Eid where only home made gifts are allowed; younger ones could get crafty and make some nice pictures for family members.

Quality Family Time

Yes you may not be able to physically see extended family and friends but use this day for your own quality family time. Do extra Ibadah at home with the family, play games, let the children lead as to what they want to do and generally have your own little party at home in sha Allah.

---

I decided to ask a few other bloggers how they will celebrating Eid during these strange times:

We usually have decorations & i set the table with lights, decor & treats & I give the kids their Eid gifts…. we have a big pancake breakfast with all the yummy trimmings & go to Eid Prayer & then come home & eat the sweet treats we’ve made on the days leading up to Eid, then we usually would go somewhere fun in the afternoon, theme park or some funfair/activities

I think this year we will try to make it an occasion…. play some nasheeds have a party & depending on weather have a BBQ or order a nice takeaway treat …. most of the day sounds like its surrounded by food 😂

---

We usually have a blend of eid salah, taking kids out to somewhere “as in make it their day” and a lot of playing, gifts opening, video chats with grandparents. Usually it was very hectic to the point that some things had to be postponed to next day.

This time around seems like it will be our usual other than the Eid Salah and going out part. Hopefully we’ll start day similarly with getting dressed early, takbeerat, meal, and then video calls to grand parents and gift opening (I buy and pack gifts on behalf of all the relatives that send online eidi for kids + from our side). I am thinking of doing a twist of an activity mentioned in a book I reviewed this Ramadan. I will be hiding small treasures in different parts of the house for kids to find in sha Allah 🙂 still working on what the treasures should be 😀

---

We don’t do much in terms of decor, but Eid is a massive cake and gift day for us along with some special outing. This year, we may not be able to go to the masjid for Eid gathering and Salah and we may not even be able to meet relatives and host guests etc. So our focus will be video calls to the relatives, gifts, dressing up and sweets (which kids aren’t usually allowed so they are anxiously waiting for Eid 😅).

---

Eid will be a lot different this year for all of us. There will be no gathering with cousins in grandma’s house for our kids. My siblings and I have set a schedule for us to take turn to visit grandma’s house. We will pray Eid at our own home and take turn to visit our kids’ grandparents, bringing with us home cooked food to share with grandma. We will stay for few hours with social distancing measures, face mask and no shaking hands or kissing each other. We will wait till my other sibling’family to arrive. We have to go home before they come in, waving to each other from a distance insyaAllah.

Eid mubarak from us!

---

Eid-ul-Fitr 1441 is going to be different yet similar in spirit.
1. Eid salah at home will replace those at masjid.
2. We will be, إن شاء الله, partaking in minimal decoration this time, wearing our best clothes, perfuming ourselves, and enjoying on our special Eid dishes.
3. Visiting family is a doubt, but we would إن شاء الله be having an online meet-up.
Coming to think of it, every Eid we share our specially-donned Eid pictures with our extended families who are far from us, but this would be the first time we would إن شاء الله meet up in real-time world.

---

Eid this year is a reminder of many things, one of the biggest reminder that stands out for me is that there are many who fast all the 30 days and do not have the ability to buy new clothes or spend on grand decors, they make do with what little they have, its a reminder to be grateful for the blessings we overlook and take for granted all the time.

This Eid is a reminder to go back to the simplicity of Rasoolullahﷺ‎‬ in celebrating what matters most.

Celebrate gratitude, celebrate health, celebrate family, celebrate connection and celebrate the opportunities amidst calamities, the list is endless to what you can celebrate ‎إن شاء الله‬.

Eid Mubarak to everyone.

Taqqabal Allahu Minna wa Minkum ♥️

May Allah make this an Eid of meaningful purpose and connection آمين يا رب.

---

For us Eid decor is children coming down to a room full of surprises! Wrapped up gifts and loads of balloons! Besides that will be making children’s favorite home made goodies inshaAllah. The restrictions here in our side of the world down under are easing up. Which means we still won’t be able to make it to masjid for Eid Salah but might do a small gathering with friends (up to 20 people) in a park with loads of play (some games thrown in for children) and ofcourse yummy food. And oh before all that we will be making dua and give thanks to Allah for allowing us to reach another Ramadan and Eid with our loved and dear ones. And we will make sure to let our family know that too through phone and video calls. We will dress up and have fun like there’s no tomorrow! The halal way of course with alot of remembrance of Allah in between ♡

---

We’re planning to have a simple Eid this year in shaa Allah. We’ll do barbecue and video calls with the rest of the family out there and just chill with the kids. Hopefully the weather will be nice and dry, if not we’ll just relax inside.
I don’t intend to do alot because there are many people out there who can’t even buy food. So simplicity is our aim this year in shaa Allah.

---

How will you be celebrating Eid this year? Let me know in the comments.