Think about how you felt about Eid as a kid. Most likely, it was a fun and festive day, but once December came around, there was no comparison. Decked out malls, bright lights, beautiful trees, and an abundance of gifts. Let's face it: Christmas seemed about a thousand times more exciting than Eid. And maybe, it still does.
A message from us to you: it's time we step up our game. After experiencing years of that I-wish-we-could-celebrate-christmas feeling, you may now have kids, nieces or nephews, or even grandkids. It's time for us to ensure that the next generation of Muslims raised in America (or anywhere, for that matter) LOVES Eid. So that when something amazingly fun happens, they say, "Wow, it feels like EID!" instead of what some of us say when we see a pile of gifts..."it feels like Christmas!" It's time to start really celebrating Eid - Modern Muslim Home style.
In some Muslim cultures, it's common for children to receive money from their parents and other adults, on the morning of Eid. What's better than receiving Eid money as a gift, though? Receiving Eid money in a BALLOON. We hope you'll try this idea out and let us know how it goes!
What you need: One to three clear balloons, tissue paper confetti, and a few bills (however much money you want to give).
What to do: Have someone hold open a clear balloon for you, and stuff it with a few fingerfuls of confetti and your money. We used standard 12" balloons, but the bigger the balloons, the more confetti and money you can stuff them with. Go to a party store (like Party City) and have them fill them up with helium for you. Then, give the balloons to your kids (or nieces, nephews, or grandkids) on Eid and watch their faces light up. Once they're ready for the money-confetti-fun, pop the balloon (a hijab pin works!). They're going to be squealing with excitement as they're covered in confetti. We promise.
What you should keep in mind: Make sure you use light, tissue paper confetti; this is the kind that will fall nicely once you pop the balloon(s). You'll want to fill the balloons with helium no more than a few hours before giving these to the kids, so that they don't start to deflate. If you have to wait, put less bills in each balloon. Lastly, make sure you don't keep them outside if it's windy, one or two might pop on you like they did for us!
What this will cost you: It cost us less than $1 per balloon (just the regular helium balloon price), about $3.99 for a *big* bag of tissue confetti (we had tons left over, so look for a small bag!), and some $1, $5, $10, or $20 bills depending on how much you plan on giving.
Giving "real" gifts instead of money to your kids this Eid? Still try out this balloon idea, just don't include the money. As long as they're still young, they'll be just as thrilled.
So, is it possible to outdo a nation-wide, glorified holiday? Probably not. Is it possible for your kids to experience so much happiness on Eid that they love it more than anything else? Yes, yes, it is.
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