By Hanan Alnufaie
Saudi Gazette
RIYADH — Although Eid Al-Fitr is a religious occasion, Muslims around the world celebrate the day with different habits and traditions.
True, they all attend the Eid prayer in the morning at mosques or special prayer grounds. However, with every culture, there are new things to explore and new habits to express the happiness on this holy occasion.
To talk about what Saudis do in Riyadh on the day of Eid Al-Fitr, Saudi Gazette sat down with two Saudi siblings to talk about what they generally do on the day of Eid.
Sultan, 25, said: “The day before Eid, I get ready for the celebration by going to the barber shop and ensuring my clothes are clean. I always tailor a special thobe for Eid. I inherited this habit from my father. Usually, I do not sleep the night before Eid. I just like the wonderful feeling on the eve of Eid.”
He added that all malls, stores, barbershops and tailor shops become crowded on the night. “Everyone is busy everywhere,” said Sultan.
On the day of Eid, he said, “I go with my father and brothers to pray Eid at the mosque and then we shake hands with all our neighbors at the mosque erasing any negative feeling between us. It is a holy occasion and we must start with clean hearts.”
Sultan said from the mosque they go to his grandfather’s house where his uncles and cuisines join them. “It is the family big house where everyone in the family gathers. After the handshake, we wish each other happy Eid.
We usually give the kids ‘eidiyya’, which an amount of money given by the older members of the family to the kids to make them happy,” he added.
After that, they visit relatives who were unable to come for the family gathering for some reason later in the day. “We always try to make sure to visit all of our relatives. I know some friends who are from other cities but live here in Riyadh. All of them travel to their hometowns every Eid. No one wants to miss out on the family gathering especially on this holy occasion,” he commented.
“Then we go back home to take a nap. In the evening, I go with my family to either a restaurant or fun fair with multi activities for families to enjoy,” he concluded.
Hala, Sultan’s sister, said she as a girl follow the same pattern. “We all must visit our grandfather’s house where everyone comes. I sit with my female relatives in the women’s majlis, which is a big room for female gatherings. Sultan sits with the males in the separate majlis for men,” she said.
Speaking of the differences between Eid habits of men and women, Hala said: “Basically, it is the same. However, women tend to spend more on their makeup and Eid outfit. Men are so simple, they just wear the thobes while we must look unique in Eid. Moreover, men give ‘eidiyyah’ in cash only to the kids, while we tend to buy lavish Eid gifts, which tend to be a little expensive.”
The Eid gifts are mostly chocolates, flowers and toys and they are packaged nicely and attractively in special Eid baskets or small boxes, she said.
