UAE | Heritage and Culture
Slew of celebration plans
The act of giving and spending time with family is essential during the period
- By Rayeesa Absal, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 November 27, 2009
Abu Dhabi: "Gifting is very much a part of Eid celebrations. Doesn't matter what you give, but it is the true essence of giving that matters," said Mahmoud Al Shaikh, a Jordanian engineer, residing in the UAE for five years.
Al Shaikh said that this Eid is very special to him, as it is the first one he is spending with his four-month old daughter.
"We are travelling to Jordan to be with our family so gifts are definitely a must-buy. I bought gold for my mother and perfume for my father. Also, clothes and chocolates for everyone."
Gold and perfume are the two most common Eid gifts for family, according to him. The family has been preparing during the last week to ensure the festival is enjoyed to the maximum, he said.
"Men are less fortunate when it comes to Eidiya [money given during Eid usually to non-earning members of the family like children]. It is children and women who get the most from the occasion," he said.
"It [Eidiya] could be anything from coins to notes, depending on the status of the family," Al Shaikh said.
Awatef Mansour, a Syrian mother of four, has been living in the UAE for 15 years, she says that her family follows a mixed culture with both Syrian and Emirati traditions. "Favourite foods include kebbah, kousa and so on. But I also make biryani, UAE-style."
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