How To Make Eid Special For The Kids

MashaAllah, it has been a beautiful month for you filled with light and peace. The time has come for us to celebrate ourselves and each other. It's almost Eid! The current situation means a mixture of excitement and apprehension as Eid is always a time for joy, but this year will be so different than what we are used to. 

So how can we very simply - with what we have and very safely - maintaining social distancing rules make it a happy Eid for our families?

• Focus on the Sunnah. Everything you do from the night before Eid, make sure you emphasise on it as a Sunnah. SubhanAllah, the natural fitrah of our children ensures that they get so excited about being like the Prophet ﷺ, especially when sometimes it's as easy as eating something sweet the morning of Eid!

• Involve the kids in duas the night before Ramadan. Pick a time when they're the most focused, tell them an Eid story from your childhood and make dua as a family. 

• Recite the takbir. We all have those childhood memories of takbir reverberating on the TV and in the masjid. Recreate that in your own home. Turn on a recording and join in with the kids.

• Change up your Ramadan decoration into something special for Eid. Do not feel pressured to have an Instagram worthy home. Decorate with plain paper if you have to, the truth is, the kids don't care one bit! To them, it's about the togetherness. Make them feel so special, the day feels special by default. 

• Set out everyone's clothes and accessories in plain sight. There's a certain kind of joy in waking up to see your best (not necessarily new) clothes all laid out and ready to go. Get dressed up even if you are only staying at home. 

• Make a dessert together to enjoy the morning of Eid. This also doesn't have to be anything elaborate. Make whatever traditional dessert you usually have or whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies or brownies. The Sunnah is to have dates so set those on the breakfast table too!

• Nothing says "special day" like presents so shower the kids with gifts on that day. It might be something from the dollar store or a bunch of books (again, kids don't care! It's the thought that counts). 

• Make handmade Eid cards. Go on Pinterest for inspiration, print out some templates from the internet, or just use plain paper folded in half. The intention itself makes the card beautiful!

• Drive-by Eid parties. If safe and allowed in your area, drive by your favorite people, drop off their Eid cards and gifts, and see their beautiful faces from your car. It is definitely different but also, what an adventure! 

• The Prophet ﷺ said: "There is an Eid for every nation and this is our Eid." Make a playlist of Eid Nasheed and have them on an entire day. 

• Take care of yourself. Dear Mama, there is no greater gift for your kids than a happy mama. This may be a very difficult Eid for you, so make sure you have someone you can talk to about your feelings, do whatever you need to take care of yourself, whether that means going all out in celebration or taking a slow, relaxing day off. You come first. 

May Allah accept our fasts, may He heal the sick and return us to our masajid.