As Ramadan comes to an end and preparations for the Eid holidays begin, memories of past Eid holidays fill my mind – the delicious smell of home cooking mixed with the beautiful scent of my grandmother’s homemade bukhoor; the sound of children talking happily at the front door as they receive their new Eidiya notes and coins, normally handed to them by my grandmother.
Eid is always a time when family comes together. For my family, this would happen in Ras Al Khaimah, in my grandmother’s house. We’d all set off from our homes, wherever we were in the UAE, and drive there, straight to her loving arms. So many memories filled the house – of previous Eids, as well as summer and winter holidays. I grew up in that house, and every Eid was more special than the one before.
My grandmother would have my mother, my sister and myself stay a little longer. Even if everyone else had left, we’d still be there by the time the sun set. She would start reciting verses of her poetry, which were just amazing and would leave me wondering why she never had them published. She would then talk of the past and of the present. We never really wanted to leave by the day’s end.
My Eid has always been about my grandmother. Last March, she passed away, and Eid hasn’t been the same since.
The last Eid saw us change our usual routine. That yearning to head over to my grandmother’s house was gone. We found ourselves making other plans, visiting each other elsewhere, even if it was just for a few hours.
Yet for me, Eid will always be the smell of my grandmother’s house and that warm, loving smile behind her burqa. Even though, for us, Eid has changed a lot in just a year, the meaning of it still stays in our hearts. It’s about family. We might not all come together anymore in one common location, but we do still meet up.
I can tell from the eyes of my aunts when we visit that Eid has changed for them too, but its true meaning will never die. Family is forever, even if the venue has changed. It’s time to start anew, with the memory of the past always in our hearts and minds.
Mariam Al Nuaimi works in multimedia for Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority.
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