Reflecting on Eid through the years

THERE was a time when we – meaning me and my cousins, siblings and friends – looked forward to Eid because all the grown ups would give us “Eidi” (gifts). Of course, one would hesitate to actually say it for fear of sounding too materialistic, but it was a fact that in our private moments, we would all be counting our fortunes in the few days leading up to the blessed occasion. The more the Eidi, the more blessed the day was.

In those days, the custom was that any Eidi given to us was promptly taken away by our parents. I never understood why they did this, but it felt good to hold that crisp new note in my hands, even if briefly. At the end of the day, we were all given a fair due of what the parents believed was our just allocation, and only the cheekiest ones complained.