Eid Mubarak!

Salaam everyone!

Let me take this opportunity to wish our Muslim brothers and sisters, Eid Mubarak!

May our Rabb accept all our duas, fasts, charity and good deeds.

Our celebrations with the family, and other relatives have been very meaningful, Alhamdhulilah.

I really miss writing, and I hope to start penning down my entries for my Ramadan Journal this year on this space.

Will get to it in the next few days, In-Shaa-Allah.

Our Eid cookies which made our guests happy, which in turn, made us happy. Alhamdhulilah.

Our Humble Eid Celebrations

And so here I am - finally, with the post on our Eid celebrations. I had sat down just before Maghrib prayers to start writing on all my catch-up posts on my Ramadan Journal, and it is almost an hour after Isyak, and I am now starting on my last post for the day, In-Shaa-Allah.

Thanks to the soul who knows me better than I do - AZ - who knew I was going to take this long to complete all my posts - and never allowed me to stay up writing on my blog during the weeknights as he stayed up to study for his exams. Whenever I said I would take only a couple of minutes to complete all the six to eight posts I must have published today - he would talk sense into me.

Alhamdhulilah, glad I found time to share on our Ramadan and Eid moments this year. Never before in other years have we remembered others' hardships more than this year - both AZ and I kept reminding each other to make duas for the suffering brothers and sisters around the world first, before we asked for ourselves and our families.

We pray that Allah (S.W.T) has accepted all our prayers and deeds in Ramadan this year and previous years. Ameen.

As we celebrated Eid this year, we constantly told ourselves that we should avoid food wastage and kept everythiing simple and humble. Mum and I decided we would not make the usual briyani and went for something simpler - ghee rice. Equally tasty, and she supplemented the spread with her other signature dishes (actually with Mum, everything she does is her signature dish, Alhamdhulilah).

This photo was taken by my friend Vanessa, who came over with her husband, Kenny for their 'newly-married couple's lunch treat' by us.

For the first time this year, we used paper plates instead of the ceramic plates that we always use. It really saved so much preparatory and washing up time, considering that fact that I could not be on leave the next day (had to get to office to complete a project that had to be sent for print the next day).

The sister from Zameel Abaya, one of our customers, is selling these pretty plates. I thought they looked so pretty and bought a pack each of each design. A lot of our guests were intrigued by them, even some brothers. I believe she stocked these up after Eid. Do check them out here if you would like to buy them. And they are pretty affordable too.

The lovely four designs of paper plates. Some even came in dessert plates.

And what is Eid without kueh tarts (pineapple tarts), keuh makmur (yummy biscuits with crushed roasted peanut fillings), and the likes.... and of course, Mum's 'Murukku' right? Alhmadhulilah.

The cookie jars and 'Murukku' containers in various shapes and sizes  you will see in every Muslim house here.

Ramadan Journal - Traditions

Whenever I read the prompt - 'tradition' - on some blogger-sisters' Ramadan Journal prompts in earlier years, one of the things that comes to mind is usually getting henna done on the eve of Eid.

But thinking of it, it has been a few years since I have moved away from that 'tradition'. The reason is simply because I always have much undone work on the eve and am usually very happy to steal some hours of sleep before I wake just a few hours after Mum to start work in the kitchen.

And the other reason is also because everyone else is also too tired to draw henna designs on my hands (as they too wish for some hours of sleep before dawn cracks). On years where I can afford some time to myself by 11-ish into the evening, Mum would get them done on my hands and toes. Alhamdhulilah. Yes. If I am getting henna done, I get them done on my fingers, palms and toes.

In recent years and last year too, AZ did them for me. Alhamdhulilah. This year, I didn't want henna done, as I was really very exhausted from the day before's housework.

Putting up curtains, last minute dust-wiping and washing of two bathrooms - these were exhausting enough to have me wishing only for some hours of sleep.

The other thing that is a yearly do on the eve of Eid is baking. Ever since I learnt the proper way of baking a decent cake, I have been baking two cakes on the eve of Eid.

I usually bake them very early in the morning because for some reason, my cakes are always tastier the next day, Alhamdhulilah.

This year too, I stayed up after Fajr prayers and made two cakes - a marble and an orange cake. It was while baking that I decided to also pack some for the sisters in the Sunday Iqra class. It was also heartwarming that we had become better friends through our Whatsapp group chat. 

And we had even all decided to wear black abayas with a coloured scarf - of the seven rainbow colours - to class that Sunday in celebration of Eid as we welcomed Syawal. Masha-Allah. And the colour I chose was green, I wore it with the Zariya Abaya from our new Eid stocks.

While shopping for ziplock bags and other items to serve food for guests several days before, AZ and I came across these pretty and affordable party bags. And they came with very cute stickers as seals too. I bought just one pack, knowing they would come in handy anytime. As I was rushing to pack the cakes for the sisters that morning, these bags were very helpful. 

The bags added so much colour to the Eid gifts.

Alhamdhulilah, Ustazah also surprised us with Rainbow Nutella cakes as Eid gifts that day.

Eid Gifts For Home

One of the times when I can go crazy is when AZ and I shop for sarees as gifts. And that too, especially at my all-time favourite saree place at Jewel Palace. I just love buying sarees here (and am a really happy shopper when I have to buy several at one time).

The sarees there may actually be not that different. But what really makes me return to that one and only place over and over again is the atmosphere at their second level – once I am there, I am just given a space to patiently choose and mull over the saree designs that the service staff bring down from the shelves, according to my multiple requests on colours and prices.

And since whenever we decide to send sarees as gifts, we always have a good number to buy (for AZ’s aunties and their daughters included), this kind of service really pleases me.

But for the first time, I was disappointed. We headed out early enough, at about 11-ish as we wanted to avoid the Sunday crowd. When we made our way to the second level, the service staff first enquired about the place the people we were buying the sarees were from. Once AZ replied, he told us that the sarees that the womenfolk at that place wear are at the second level.

I was a little confused, cos I have never heard that before in all the times that I have been there – and to buy sarees for the same people from the same place.

He even went on to explain that he was concerned that our money would be wasted if they didn’t like what we bought. AZ smiled at me and said we should just head  to the first level.

We did. And after we bought some and were walking to our next point, I was quick to rant with AZ on my disappointment. He smiled again. And then he explained why that man actually behaved that way. It was only around 11 am and the shop has just opened for business – which means he was probably arranging his items and taking stock  (AZ said this is the practice always).

But I was still disappointed! So much for moving towards a service-driven culture here. But it is still my favourite saree place. Just one ‘lazy’ staff and just one incident out of the many nice experiences should not change my opinion of Jewel Palace so quickly, should it?

With that, here are some shots of some of the sarees we boughts and other gifts for Father-in-Law. There were a couple  of other selections that we didn’t have time to take photos of. AZ sent them off to the brother whom I have mentioned about here, immediately after sending me home that afternoon (as he was leaving that evening and in-laws were returning soon too).

A Date With Dates

Everything we do, or I do, at least, draws much influence from my moods. Of course, when I set the intention to do it, I get it done. Alhamdhulilah. But when the mood is set well and right, I can also overdo – there are two things that can get a huge dose of this ‘therapy’ with me. Cooking. And baking.

I am glad that we have started the ball rolling with our preparations for Ramadan. Gifts parcels have been sent home. Alhmadhulilah. Every year, although we shop for authentically made local cookies that bring on Eid sentiments here, I always find some joy in baking some on my own (especially to be sent home).

I remember over the last two years, AZ and I did not plan in advance and ended up rushing through our shopping for new clothes and other items. And so with the baking too. But I would still insist on baking. After arguing with me, and trying to convince me to not spend so much time on baking when we have already bought a good variety, AZ would usually give up. Just so I can have my little joys.  I remember staying up from midnight to Suhoor to bake so we could bring over to the courier place right after Fajr.

This year, Alhamdhulilah, we have become more conscious of preparing for Ramadan, and have a made niyah to cut down time on all self-created traditions and spend more time on prayer. In-Shaa-Allah. I pray Allah (S.W.T)  keeps strengthening all our imaan as we are reaching towards Ramadan.

We readied everything for home and sent our gifts through the brother I had earlier mentioned about some two weeks back. My baking spree this time too lasted well into the midnight and up to Fajr. I usually bake after all the kitchen chores are done – so that the only things I have to clean up after baking are the stuff that I use for baking. And absolutely nothing else.

So, naturally, that landed me in a baking spot at 11ish. AZ decided he would stay up to catch up on his video games too (as a break after his exams), and to accompany me while I baked.

With Quran recitals playing on my phone, I got to work and the night was really peaceful. Alhamdhulilah.

I tried a new recipe - dates and oats cookies. And another tried and tested household favourite - chocolate chip cookies (this time with a bit of colouring for a variation).

And as I was baking these cookies, a very meaningful thought came to mind... towards Ramadan. I told AZ almost immediately. And he told me to make a niyah. I did, and I am making duas that I can put my baking skills to good use this Ramadan. Ameen.