Prepare early and make Idd special

This year, why not make your Idd celebration different with these ideas from some of our readers.

Plan in advance
Aidah Nase, a caterer Uhuru Restaurant, suggests a family meeting a week before to plan for Idd Day. “Talk about the menu and delegate responsibilities instead of dumping the whole workload on the mother.”

Clean and decorate the home
“Get everyone involved. Make the house as sparkling clean as you can. If there is enough time, consider painting the house and putting mattresses and bedding outside to air out,” she adds.
Once the house is organised and decorated with balloons, lights, banners and streamers, then get the younger children to make decorative signs saying “Idd Mubarak” and post these around the house.
Play some Islamic songs related to Idd as the work is being done.

Prepare food
Make something special for the family to eat. “Idd is special, and the food we eat on this day should be better and different from our usual meals,” Nase says.

Make dessert, “something simple that everyone likes, like chocolate cake” and “write up a short definition about Idd on a decorative card or small poster board. Share this with your neighbours,” Joseph Mugalu, a gift maker at William Street says.

Arrange a family gift exchange

“Put each family member’s name in a box and have each person pick one out,” suggests Mugalu. One will then buy or make a gift for the person named in the paper. One catch: “babies have to get gifts from everyone.”

Buy new clothes
Muga says children will not feel the magic of Idd if they are donning the same outfit they wore on Idd for the last two years. Get them something new. Or at least get everyone to set out nice clothes for Idd by washing or getting them dry cleaned.
 
Wash the car
He adds that no wants to go to Idd prayers in dirty car. “Think about what will happen to everyone’s nice clothes sitting in a vehicle like that. Get the car clean and ready,” says Mugalu.

Invite the needy
Sheikh Haruna Jaafer, the Imam at Arusha Mosque, says the place where prayers for Idd are said, many believers hug each other, but you will see some Muslims standing alone. They are either new Muslims or needy ones. Hug and greet them too. “If possible invite them to your home for a meal. Also inform them of any planned Idd celebrations at any community centre.”

Record the events
Nas says from the time everyone wakes up in the morning till they breakoff happily at the end of the day; record this Idd on video or audio and take photographs to make it memorable. “It will probably make a memorable piece of family history as well.”

Visit relatives and friends
Sheikh Jaafer emphasises visiting, especially those far away. “There is almost no better time than Idd. It is also a great way to acquaint the children with their relatives near and far,” he says.

My most memorable Idd

Muhammad Affan, businessman
On a big day like Idd, I often take my family for an outing no matter the challenges. At least, I let my family wear a smile the whole day.

Madinah Kayemba, businesswoman
I remember two Idd days that have been memorable to me, one when I had just got married and the other which my husband’s family and mine spent together. This Idd, I will be with my family.

Sheikh Umar Kimuli, Imam
I have enjoyed many special Idd days and I treat each one differently. So, I cannot say which one in particular has been more memorable. But at least one thing I don’t forget on that day is visiting the sick.

Madinah Ahmad, hotelier
Any Idd is a special one. The most memorable Idd is the one when I was about 15 years old and it was my first time to celebrate it in Kampala. Everything was new to me in the city.

Suleiman Bu, trader
My Idd is more enjoyable when I’m in the village and indeed I take my family upcountry for a different environment. I will do the same thing for this Idd, if God allows us reach there.