The Eidiyah
Within the Muslim community as a whole, the arrival of the Eid holidays brings an especially joyous reason to celebrate to the youngsters in families celebrating the occasion. A tradition known as “Eidiyah” is the prime reason for their celebration as it sets apart the Eid holidays from other Islamic holidays.
Bonding Families, Spreading Joy
On the first day of Eid, all children accustomed to the culture without exception expect an Eidiyah from their parents and other elder family relatives such as uncles, aunts, and grandparents. The Eidiyah could be anything from cash, gifts, and practically any other form of gratuity. It is a major cause for fuss among the younger generation. A true mark that the Eid vibes are knocking at the gates. And a substantial bond bringing the younger generation closer to the elder part of the family.
An Orphan’s Perspective
The Emirates Red Crescent looks after many of the local orphans who are left to face this world on their own. These children have had to put up with the fact that Eid is just like any other day for far too long. Seeing the occasion as an event to cherish among themselves, away from all the family traditions many of their friends have been accustomed to.
A Reason to Celebrate
During the celebrations of 2021 Eid Al Adha, the Emirates Red Crescent decided to embark on a plan to help the orphaned children experience a tasteful of what Eid can be like. The organization took the Eidiyah pledge upon itself, acting as the family of the orphans. On the first day of Eid, the children toured the city and made stops across several theme parks, entertainment centers, and such other places that gave the children a reason to celebrate the occasion, even if it were among themselves.
A Stop at the Lounge
Our lounge in City Walk was among the many places the children made their way to that very day. Tens of children barged in through our doors speaking of savvy hairstyles they’d seen on celebrities and friends earlier. Excited about the results, our barbers assured the children of yet another reason to celebrate Eid. Every child left us with a dashing hairstyle of their choice, and an even dashier smile that made us certain that we’d done our part with our form of Eidiyah.
How It All Went Down
The whole event turned our lounge into a studio. Live television broadcasting and interviews with notable speakers from Emirates RC had the entire City Walk Boulevard wondering what was cooking inside the lounge. We’ve had the chance to give back. And for that, we must thank City Walk’s event organization team, as well as the Emirates Red Crescent for having given us this heart-warming opportunity.
