Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
First and foremost, I would like to wish all our readers Eid Mubarak! The month of Ramadan has come to an end, and a period of celebration and feasting is gripping the island and its residents. Although I am still in Poland, many of my Muslim friends were discussing their various plans for how they were going to spend the next few days, and their preparations made me begin reminiscing about all the Eids I have spent in Bahrain.
Although several customs such as applying perfumes, special Eid prayers and giving as much as possible to charity are encouraged, the main festivity I observed during all these years is the immense amount of food that circulates among families and friends.
Loved ones are invited for huge feasts where everyone celebrates the end of the month of fasting, and as a teenager in a country where few of my own natives live, it was always a spectacular feeling to be a part of such an intimate and welcoming festivity. Not to mention the opportunity to indulge in traditional Arabic foods, typically date fruits, grilled meats and what seems to be a local favourite: lamb.
Alongside these grand feasts, friends would come up to me in school or in my compound and offer me sweets with a cheerful greeting of ‘Eid Mubarak!’ It was always heart-warming to see that the celebration was not solely confined to those who had been fasting; everyone was encouraged to join in giving thanks for everything they had.
