Shared customs: Haniff (third from right) and Deborde hosting their first Open House last year.
PETALING JAYA: With Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations well underway, multiracial families are also joining in the festive mood with their loved ones.
Myra Khong, 26, said celebrating Raya together with her Malay uncle and aunties at their home in Puchong were some of the most memorable annual moments for her.
“They always go all out with the Raya preparations, and that alone makes it a great time to spend with family as the best part of Raya is the sense of togetherness.
“I am definitely looking forward to the family bonding time and the amazing food but I can’t wait to reunite and catch up with relatives I don’t see often.
“It’s a reminder that regardless of race, we can come together as one community,” the Chinese entrepreneur from Cheras said.
For 29-year-old Alyssa Haniff, 29, celebrating Raya with her French husband Antoine Deborde, has become an annual special occasion for the couple in cultural exchange.
The couple had first met during the 2018 Raya season when Deborde was working as an intern in Malaysia with Haniff then inviting Deborde to his first open house.
Shared traditions: Husband and wife Haniff and Deborde celebrating Raya in the city last year.Years later, they celebrated their engagement during the 2022 Raya season, turning their reception into an open house for their loved ones as a nod to the season’s significance in their relationship.
The couple’s love for each other’s culture then led them to host their first open house together last year with plans to host another one this upcoming Raya weekend.
“Seeing him embrace Raya shows not just his interest in me, but also his respect and care for my heritage,” Haniff said.
On the other hand, Deborde, 29, said the Raya festivities highlighted similarities between his home country and Malaysia which both share an infectious happiness for hosting and a love for sharing culture through food.
“We don't marry just an individual, we marry the experiences of their past, the doubts of their present, the life purpose for their future, and traditions are a big part of it,” Deborde said.
