Over to you
HARI Raya Aidilfitri celebrations just do not seem the same anymore. Perhaps it is because I am older now.
The merriment I experienced as a young boy appears to have dwindled with the passing years. (But all that notwithstanding, I still look forward to submitting my 10-day leave application).
Part of the reason for the melancholy is perhaps due to my grandfather's passing. No more crates of carbonated drinks, and bags of firecrackers for us grandchildren on the eve of Syawal.
He taught me that Hari Raya is not all about duit raya, kuih raya or the notorious meriam buluh. It was also not merely about new bright-coloured clothes. Hari Raya is about being together with friends and family, a joyous occasion to be shared.
The muezzin's call to prayer on Hari Raya is something to cherish. It heralds the start of the celebration, seen as a time for reflection for many, a time to forgive and forget. It is normal for family and friends to shed tears as they seek forgiveness from each other, on the first day of Hari Raya.
Unlike in previous years, people now don't spend as much as they used to for Hari Raya. Celebrations are on a more moderate scale. Only sufficient food -- rendang and ketupat among others -- is prepared so that they do not go to waste.
House decorations are kept to a minimum. Not so much of the colourful decorative lights now. Celebrations are like how it is for Hari Raya Aidiladha, which some have come to regard as not as "major" a festival as Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Frankly, it is good to be thrifty. To burn holes in our pockets just to look better than everyone else on Hari Raya is not very smart.
Hari Raya may have lost its lustre for me but I want my daughter to have a memorable celebration every year. I want her to go through the same experiences that I did when I was her age.
I understand, that now it is her turn to have as much fun as we did in the past. Donning her first baju kurung and receiving her first duit raya packet not too long ago, I saw how happy she was. Truly, she is my bundle of joy.
Now, she is the main reason why I still continue to look forward to Hari Raya. Children are happiest during festive occasions and the house will resound with their laughter. In the kampung, they would be running around with a stick of "Black Cat" brand bunga api in their hand. The sight of them going from house to house is a welcome one indeed. Like a band of scouts, the kids normally move in groups of five. They target the houses with the best cookies and the thickest duit raya packet.
But I've seen some parents who try to curb their children from eating too much even during the festive season. "Don't eat too much! Leave some for the others," hissed a mother during a visit to an open house not too long ago, despite assurances from the host that there was more than enough to go around.
We should not stop children from indulging in food, something they find so much pleasure in, on special occasions. Have a great Hari Raya kids. It's your turn now
-Syed Umar Arif Syed Bakhtiar Ariffin-
http://nst.com.my/nst/articles/05umar/Article/#ixzz0yoY9SIkI
The merriment I experienced as a young boy appears to have dwindled with the passing years. (But all that notwithstanding, I still look forward to submitting my 10-day leave application).
Part of the reason for the melancholy is perhaps due to my grandfather's passing. No more crates of carbonated drinks, and bags of firecrackers for us grandchildren on the eve of Syawal.
He taught me that Hari Raya is not all about duit raya, kuih raya or the notorious meriam buluh. It was also not merely about new bright-coloured clothes. Hari Raya is about being together with friends and family, a joyous occasion to be shared.
The muezzin's call to prayer on Hari Raya is something to cherish. It heralds the start of the celebration, seen as a time for reflection for many, a time to forgive and forget. It is normal for family and friends to shed tears as they seek forgiveness from each other, on the first day of Hari Raya.
Unlike in previous years, people now don't spend as much as they used to for Hari Raya. Celebrations are on a more moderate scale. Only sufficient food -- rendang and ketupat among others -- is prepared so that they do not go to waste.
House decorations are kept to a minimum. Not so much of the colourful decorative lights now. Celebrations are like how it is for Hari Raya Aidiladha, which some have come to regard as not as "major" a festival as Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Frankly, it is good to be thrifty. To burn holes in our pockets just to look better than everyone else on Hari Raya is not very smart.
Hari Raya may have lost its lustre for me but I want my daughter to have a memorable celebration every year. I want her to go through the same experiences that I did when I was her age.
I understand, that now it is her turn to have as much fun as we did in the past. Donning her first baju kurung and receiving her first duit raya packet not too long ago, I saw how happy she was. Truly, she is my bundle of joy.
Now, she is the main reason why I still continue to look forward to Hari Raya. Children are happiest during festive occasions and the house will resound with their laughter. In the kampung, they would be running around with a stick of "Black Cat" brand bunga api in their hand. The sight of them going from house to house is a welcome one indeed. Like a band of scouts, the kids normally move in groups of five. They target the houses with the best cookies and the thickest duit raya packet.
But I've seen some parents who try to curb their children from eating too much even during the festive season. "Don't eat too much! Leave some for the others," hissed a mother during a visit to an open house not too long ago, despite assurances from the host that there was more than enough to go around.
We should not stop children from indulging in food, something they find so much pleasure in, on special occasions. Have a great Hari Raya kids. It's your turn now
-Syed Umar Arif Syed Bakhtiar Ariffin-
http://nst.com.my/nst/articles/05umar/Article/#ixzz0yoY9SIkI
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