Balancing studies, household work and the Eid preparations is quite a task. Luckily, I am good at multitasking, just like my mother. But still, when you are made the sole in-charge of taking care of your younger siblings, things inevitably become difficult.

“You are a big girl now and you have to learn to handle responsibilities,” fumes my mother whenever she sees me busy in (as she puts it) my childish pursuits. It is not her fault though, by any means. Being the eldest of five siblings, I have to share her domestic workload and responsibilities.

Come Eid and this ‘responsible role’ becomes magnified, so to speak. Not only do I have to take care of the sacrificial goat, but also clean up the mess it makes. And that’s not all, I also have to assist my mother in the Eid shopping and preparations. And then we also entertain relatives who come over to stay at our place, a day or two before Eid, to both celebrate with us and meet my grandmother.

All this goes side by side with Eid-related social media exchanges and updates on Facebook, Instagram and Watsapp. After all, a part of the ultimate Eid experience comes through the endless suggestions, advice, gossip and discussions that happen on these social networking apps.

I remember that the design of the clothes I ended up wearing last Eid was a result of countless suggestions and approvals/disapprovals of friends, and endless browsing to check out the latest trends. And the selection of matching accessories and shoes also came about after making choices with the help of all the relevant information available online.

And then, there is of course, the goat. My father insists on bringing a goat at least two weeks before Eid, so that we get attached to it. For him, it is an essential part of the spirit of sacrifice. So we take good care of the goat and dress it up in all kinds of things, giving it new looks by means of old sunglasses, mufflers, T-shirt and using hair gel to give it new hairstyles.

We also adorn it in the accessories that are sold at the roadside stalls especially for the sacrificial animals.

The good thing is that this Eid and the last few Eids have not coincided with the school exams. Otherwise things would not have been manageable at all. Another good thing that happens every Eid is that my partner in crimes (so to speak), my cousin and best friend, also visits us. And it is with her that I have the best time.

We gossip, share secrets and a plethora of other things that go on around in our small world. Applying henna and going for bangles and accessories’ shopping are our favourite activities. Staying up till late in the night while gossiping, cracking jokes and laughing on stupid things are the next best things to do.

All these aspects are essential parts of everyday life for many girls and women during Eid. For females, the workload and responsibilities increase when it to comes to managing the family and traditional celebrations like Eid. It is a mixture of all these things that make it all worth celebrating and enjoyable.

Like life, Eid also has its ups and downs; but it’s all worth it if you manage to get your attitude right. For my part, I focus all my thoughts and energy towards the Eid shopping and looking good. And despite all the work, the time I spend with aunts, uncles, cousins and friends on Eid never fails to leave good memories that I cherish for a full year. And that’s why my friends, I look forward to Eid all year around. Happy Eid and enjoy yourself!

Published in Dawn, Young World September 2nd, 2017