THE time is getting closer … our new friends are about to come. We bid them goodbye with very heavy heart last year, shedding lots of tears. But time is a great healer and soon we were back to our old carefree selves and once again the time has come when our excitement at meeting new friends is at its peak.

Rightly guessed! Eidul Azha is here and so are our animal friends. Every day is full of lots of fun and enjoyment. Most of the time after school is spent with these sacrificial animals and it is the time when we are more concerned about the animals’ meals than our own meals. And all other tasks become secondary and the animals truly ‘rule’ over our minds. It seems that each second of the clock is important and allocated to the dear friends who would live with us for a short while and then would surely leave, like all the others in the previous years.

But Eidul Azha is more than just having fun with our sacrificial animals, pampering and playing with them. We should take some steps in order to make the short stay at our place very comfortable for our guests.

Firstly, recount the mistakes you did last year that created chaos …. Then check to see if the place where you will keep your animals is appropriate and ready for them or not. If it needs cleaning, do that beforehand. Do not wait for the last day or after the goat arrives. If your place is slippery, suggest to your parents that some mud/sand spread on the ground would be good for the animal’s comfort and safety.

Arrange tubs/buckets to keep drinking water and feed in for the animals. Never run for those things when the animals have already arrived because you may end up using just anything that you first get your hands on. And if it is mum’s favourite fruit basket, she may just not be too pleased to have it ruined.

Make sure you have ropes at hand because when the vehicle with the animals arrives, most of us run for ropes and then have to use just anything to tie up the cow or goat with. Sometimes that means untying the clothes line and using it, with mum and the maid pretty mad at this for they now don’t have a place to hang the laundry! And make sure the rope is long enough to give the animal enough walking space and tied loose enough for it to breathe!

The fodder needs to be stored properly, and just enough given to the animal at one time as it will eat because, we may not realise it but animals are very prim and proper and goats do not eat fodder that has been spoilt, soiled or messed up in excretions.

Who would do the cleaning? Arrange for someone or do it yourself! This will make your sacrificial animal and your mum very happy.

Make sure you spare a pair of slippers for the ‘animal area’. Do not bring it into your home as it will be dirty with all kinds of yucky stuff. So to keep your home clean and free from animal stink, and your mum happy too, make sure you don’t make your house as dirty as the ‘animal area’. Keep a soap bar outside so that you can wash your hands frequently.

And yes, a very important warning! Mosquitoes with the dengue virus are here and very active in the morning hours and the night, so always put on mosquito repellent on your exposed body parts when you go out.

And lastly, balance your time properly. Schools are open so allocate the required amount of time to studies too. Love your animals, take care of them properly, but do not neglect the basic hygiene rules for yourself also.

Enjoy your days with your friends and have a great Eid too! Eid Mubarak in advance!