Wedding functions and the Eid are the joyous occasions every girl looks forward to. Luckily for me, they happened close to each other. My cousin was getting married and I was very happy that immediately after the three days of Eid, my family and I were going to enjoy three days of wedding ceremonies. I have had some memorable Eids, but this one was special for obvious reasons.

On the days leading up to Eid, I got the chance to spend time with all my cousins and relatives as we were gathered at the same place for the wedding. It is said that the joys of Eid are multiplied only when shared with family and friends. So the gathering of family and friends really shifted the Eid celebrations into top gear.

We all did a lot of shopping. A lot needed to be purchased either for Eid or for the wedding. This proved to be such a blessing as this meant I could purchase anything I liked for myself. And the whole shopping experience made me also realise that shopping with friends and cousins is such a fun thing to do. Add to that the fun of window shopping and I can bet that every girl would envy me for the situation I was in.

The sense of fun prevailed, but it was a lot of hard work doing all the wedding preparations during Ramazan. Caring for guests, doing household chores, going out for shopping, etc., while fasting was not easy by any means. Deciding on the clothes to wear was quite a task in itself as I was just not sure what to wear on Eid and what to wear on the wedding functions. I also had to make sure that what I wear on Eid is not similar to the wedding dresses in any way. I got useful advice from my aunts and cousins that helped me make the right choices. And engaging in endless discussions in choices for clothes and accessories was both informative and enjoyable.

I also went for skin treatment and diet on the days leading up to the celebrations. And how could I have forgotten a new hair cut that gave me a new look!

I found, out of the whole experience, that Eid day in itself is not the sole source of fun and happiness. It is also the anticipation, wait and planning for it that brings joy. So the experience I was having made every day seems like an Eid day, particularly after the Iftar.

The icing on cake was chand raat, when all the preparation, anticipation, planning, etc., reached its peak. It was such a memorable chand raat when we went to eat out and shop for bangles and mehndi. It definitely felt like one of the best days of my life.

The Eid day was largely spent with my beloved cousin who was getting married. It was her last Eid in Pakistan since she was moving abroad after her marriage. All of us cousins and family recalled the good times spent with her and wished the best to her. I was sad at losing such a nice friend and elder sister, but also excited about her wedding function. As a tribute for her, we did a lot of things to make the Eid memorable for her; and, in process, found out about the true pleasures of giving and sharing the joys of Eid.

Celebrations of Eid do not merely hold religious significance in our society. They are more of a social and cultural celebration too. Marriages have different customs and celebrations in different places of the world and the same goes for Eid celebrations in my opinion. When two such functions are celebrated together, it has a synergistic effect on the overall fun aspect.

As I look back on that wonderful experience I had, I can surmise on what Eid is really about. It is primarily about giving and sharing the joys of Eid with family and friends. Then, of course, comes the shopping, hanging out and all the necessary preparations. And last, but not the least, when you fast for the whole month, this sense of achievement and a spiritual satisfaction gives you the real source of joy on Eid.

Published in Dawn, Young World, June 1st, 2019