Families look forward to celebrating Eid together for first time since the pandemic

Large gatherings are expected with family members flying in from around the world

Karen Lobo, second left, is looking forward to celebrating Eid with family members from around the world. Photo: Karen Lobo

Families in the UAE will be celebrating the Eid Al Fitr festival in style this year.

Previously, gatherings were more muted than usual, given the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, but this year Eid celebrations look as if they will be anything but low-key as families take the chance to be reunited for the first time in years.

The National spoke to families, here in the UAE, about how they will celebrate the occasion.

“Every year my family and I plan a week full of activities to do during the Eid break,” said Dubai resident Karen Lobo, 26, from Portugal.

The main difference is we have freedom to meet with family members and friends

Karen Lobo

“These activities include heading on a road trip to another emirate, spending the day at the mall given the great Eid deals, having a family get-together at home and soaking in some sun at the beach.

“This year’s celebrations are going to be way more exciting given we’ve got family arriving from Hungary, Australia and India.”

Among the events planned by Ms Lobo and her family during Eid are a trip to Expo City, watching the fireworks in Dubai’s JBR and a trip to Fujairah.

Eid is a festival of the utmost importance to her family, Ms Lobo said.

“Having been born and raised in Dubai, Eid is just like Christmas or Easter for us,” she said.

“Living in such a diverse city, with people from various cultures and traditions, we celebrate every festival to the fullest, regardless of religion.

“Eid for me is a time when I get to dress up, enjoy family time together and explore some of the city’s beautiful attractions.”

The festival, like so many other traditions, was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic with many people unable to see loved ones from other countries because of restrictions on movement.

That is not the case this year.

“The main difference is we have the freedom to meet with family members and friends, visit malls without being concerned about capacity levels and, of course, be able to host families from around the world,” Ms Lobo said.

Abdul Karim Hanif, left, with his father and brother during Eid prayers. Photo: Abdul Karim Hanif

'An important ritual'

Also planning to celebrate Eid with family members is Abdul Karim Hanif, who hosts the Morning Majlis on Pulse 95 Radio.

“The first thing we will be doing is going for Eid prayers, my father is flying in from Pakistan and we’ll be going together with my brother,” said Mr Hanif, 33.

“A lot of people skip it but not in our family. It’s an important ritual for us.

“After prayers, we greet everyone around us – it is an introvert’s nightmare as you’re greeting so many random people!”

After the prayers, Mr Hanif will then share breakfast with close family members and exchange Eid gifts.

Later on, he will be celebrating with members of his wider family circle.

Bilal Rahzaoui is celebrating Eid with family visiting from Germany and Morocco. Photo: Bilal Rahzaoui

“For brunch or lunch we will go to a restaurant in Bur Dubai and meet up with cousins and extended family members from Sharjah and other parts of Dubai,” he said.

“It will be a big feast with a gathering of about 50 people at least.

“For the past few years, we weren’t really able to do that due to Covid-19 restrictions.”

He is also making up for the lost time by extending his Eid break by two weeks to be able to travel to see his in-laws in Canada, something that would not have been possible at the height of the pandemic, with strict travel restrictions in place.

“I couldn’t go to Canada in recent years because of all the travel restrictions they had in place,” Mr Hanif said.

Another Dubai resident looking forward to an overdue family reunion is German-Moroccan entrepreneur Bilal Rahzaoui, 25.

“We’re having a gathering with family members coming over from Germany and Morocco,” he said.

“It will take place after morning prayers and we will come together to share stories.

“For many of us, it will be the first time we have seen each other since the pandemic.”

Eid Al Fitr preparation around the world - in pictures

A man shops for sweets at a market before Eid Al Fitr in the port city of Sidon, Lebanon. Reuters

A street vendor sells balloons in Sidon. Reuters

Ministry of Religion employees in Aceh, Indonesia, observe the position of the Moon to determine when Eid Al Fitr will fall. EPA

A vendor selling sweets as Palestinians prepare for the Eid Al Fitr holiday in Khan Younis, the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters

Palestinian women make traditional cakes in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters

A woman has her arm decorated with henna at a street market in the run-up to Eid Al Fitr, which marks the end Ramadan, in Mogadishu, Somalia. AP

Henna designs are the order of the day in Mogadishu. AP

Pastries on display at a market stall in the Ulus district of Ankara, ahead of the Eid Al Fitr holiday. AFP

Many Muslims head back to their home towns and villages from bigger cities to spend Eid Al Fitr with family, such as this man and his children leaving Dhaka, Bangladesh. EPA

The sunglasses are on as the packed train leaves Dhaka. EPA

Passengers prepare to board a train in Surabaya, Indonesia, as people head home for the Eid holiday. AFP

Excitement is building for Eid Al Fitr in Karachi. EPA

A pet hotel attendant with a cat staying at the facility while its owners enjoy the Eid Al Fitr holiday in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. EPA

A Pakistani craftsman works on women's embroidered clothes before Eid Al Fitr in Peshawar, Pakistan. EPA

Embroidered cloth being stitched for Eid Al Fitr. EPA

Passengers at a bus station in Banda Aceh start the journey home for the festivities. AFP

Traffic at a toll booth as Muslims head home for Eid Al Fitr, known locally as Mudik, in Karawang, Indonesia. Reuters

Iraqi women prepare traditional cookies in Mosul ahead of Eid Al Fitr. AFP

The bakes are known as kleicha. AFP

Women visit a market ahead of Eid Al Fitr in Karachi. AP

A Palestinian girl prepares traditional date-filled cookies with her family in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP

A Palestinian family prepares food for Eid Al Fitr. AFP

A three-wheeled taxi, known as a 'bajaj', navigates its way through Tanah Abang market in Jakarta. AP

A vendor waits for costumers at a market in Jakarta. AP

A Palestinian worker prepares smoked fish at a factory in Rafah. AFP