For most Muslim families Eid has come to mean a twice-yearly routine divorced from the enjoyments and
merriments. For a festival that means so much to the Muslims, it is needful to celebrate it in a special and unique way. You just need to plan yourself a bit and go through the tips listed below to make this Eid a special holiday that it really is.
1. Plan from beforehand. You can arrange for a family meeting nearly a week ago and decide on what you would do on the Eid
day. You can also invite others over to your place and have dinner in a good restaurant.
2.Be sure that the menu is decided from beforehand. Try to take into consideration the personal choice of each of your family
member. As far as the cooking is concerned, divide the responsibility among all .Make sure that everyone takes a break from their commitments and lends a helping hand.
3. Clean and decorate the home. Everyone should be involved in this. Try to make the house
squeaky clean. You can also consider whitewashing the house if the weather
permits. Hang decorative banners with "Eid Mubarak "written on them. Decorate
the house with lights and streamers. You can make the ambience better by playing an Islamic song on the CD.
4. Cook something special and removed from what your family normally eats.Eid is a special occasion and the food we eat on that day should also be special and better from our usual meals.
5. Exchange gifts among the family members. There is a fun way of doing this. The
name of each one is written on a piece of paper and put in a Kufi.Each person is allowed to pull out one strip of paper. Whoever picks a person's name has to buy that person a gift.
6. There is another way by which you can encourage both generosity and creativity in your
kids. Ask them to create strange but meaningful handmade articles and give them as Eid gifts to their cousins or friends.
7. Shop hard and get your family members new clothes. New clothes add a special charm to any
celebration. You can also get the best of your clothes washed and dry cleaned.
8. As you plan for new clothes, find out items that have grown useless. Arrange
to sell these items through a garage sale and donate the money raised to a local Masjid or buy Eid gifts for the needy.
9.Get your car clean and ready for the occasion. Let everyone lend a helping hand in washing the
car. If possible get the car checked and fill up the gas tank so you don't end up with any Eid day surprises.
10. If possible go to a Muslim restaurant to eat as a family. If the food and service are good, advertise the restaurant to your
friends. You will be supporting a Muslim business by this gesture of yours.
11. Get yourself a handy cam if you don't have one and record the Eid day events right from the time when
everyone wakes up till everyone conks out happily at the end of Eid day.You will have a great time watching the video anytime in the future.
12. You can pay a visit to a homeless shelter or food bank and donate your extra Eid
food. Also do some Dawa by telling workers at the shelter what Eid is all about. Bring pamphlets and other written material.
13.Share Eid with your neighbors by baking a cake and sharing it with them.
14. Make it a point to visit relatives and friends who stays far away.
15. Make Eid evening family entertainment night. Get everyone in your family to perform something they are good at.