Eid ul Adha 2013/1434: Eid Preparations

I have been meaning to post my Eid pictures for the last few days but have simply been defeated by a mix of the housework and Darling trying to wrestle with my poor laptop every time I try to switch it on.

Over the years we seem to have developed some traditions for both of the Eids.  The afternoon before Eid, we had hardly prayed Zoher (midday prayers) and my dad-in-law wanted to know where the rice pudding was - he cannot get enough sweet food!  I and mum-in-law agreed to get started and at some time after Maghrib (evening prayer) got it onto the hob.  Then we cooked, and cooked and cooked the rice pudding for about three hours until you could stand your spoon up in it.  Exactly as my husband and in-laws like it.

I can tell you, guests and family were eating this stuff for the rest of the week.

Once the Eid rice pudding was cooked, the tandoori chicken marinaded and refrigerated, the onions diced, vegetables chopped and tomatoes pureed in preparation for the next day I was planning to do Little Ladies henna.

Luckily we have new neighbours and they are wonderful.  They came round in the evening and asked if they could do Little Ladies henna.  I didn't need to be asked twice.

My neighbours own henna was pretty good too:

Once I had the whole over-excited troupe in bed at last, I and hubby tag-teamed to create the Eid atmosphere for our kids.  While he blew up balloons and helped put up my decorations, I made the kids some treats.

I was inspired to make these by a version I saw in my local Islamic Impressions store, using these paper plates that said "Eid Mubarak" and some halal jelly sweets.  I was tempted to buy, but thought I would try making my own.

I used these colourful plastic melamine plates which I bought a few years ago to use for midnight feasts (eight for about £5, all in pretty colours, from TK Maxx).  I brought out my ribbons and the giant roll of cellophane I bought from a boot sale a few years ago and which is still going strong (We used this during my brothers wedding three years and and my sisters last year.  As I assured my sisters, we will probably be getting it out at my kids weddings too).

I put some sweets in the plate and covered with cellophane which I tied at the top with an elastic band and then used ribbon to cove the elastic.  I added a sticker that said "Eid Mubarak" (I used the ones from this pack).



















I really liked how the turned out and how quick they were to assemble.  The kids loved them too.