Eid ul Adha 2013/1434: Day 1 - Unexpected Guests and Lots of Cake

I was saying to my husband a few days before Eid, how sad I was that we were having such a quiet Eid this year.  Literally just the household and no on else.  The rest of my family decided to celebrate Eid a day later or had other plans.

People are often so critical about Muslims being unable to agree which day they would celebrate Eid on, but rather than a theoretical issue to get on your high horse about, foe me it is very personal.  Most years we are faced with the prospect of celebrating Eid without my parents and siblings  and then joining them a day later.  The end up spending the day quietly when everyone else is celebrating and feasting.  It used to be an acrimonious issue in our family, but having realised that no one is about to budge, we have decided to come to a grudging acceptance.

I decided to make the most of Eid and keep it intimate and joyful with just the kids and my husbands parents.  We made sweet vermicelli (sevaiya) for breakfast, which is Pakistani tradition and I baked fairy cakes for the children, which had become our tradition and something which Little Lady now looks forward to doing with me every Eid.

I thought there was way too much (about 60 or so), but they barely lasted the day.

After this, I got down to the serious cooking.  My husband always reminds me that we should make big intentions for the purpose of pleasing Allah (SWT) and we should cook with the intention of feeding the whole Ummah.  I used to think this was strange, but agree with him now and try to be liberal in my measurements when I am cooking with the intention that whoever comes to our home is welcome to share our food.  This year I made the traditional foods in our home: pilau rice with peas, lamb curry, chicken and potato curry, mint chutney, two types of salad and tandoori chicken.

I managed to speak with my cousins before lunch and ended up inviting them to share lunch with us.  We were also joined by some other single cousins who don't have any parents or siblings here.  It made my day to have the company and conversation.

Eid day also happened to be Darling's first birthday.  Although we don't celebrate, it was still a nice thought that Darling was now one and Fashionista and her husband stopped by with some gorgeous cupcakes that she had made and decorated.

Soon after this, another set of second cousins who are also friends dropped by with their three children and we ended up inviting them to stay for dinner.

I had asked my parents, sisters, brother and sister-in-law and an uncle to join us for dinner, so soon we had a full house mash'Allah.

So despite thinking we would have a quiet Eid alone, we had virtually the whole family around at various times of the day.  We finished with cake which guests brought along.  I was absolutely exhausted from running in and out of the kitchen, just barely got the food to stretch to everyone, but very happy.