Where My Heart Celebrates Eid

 By Awliya

This year’s Raya Eve was honestly one of the most memorable nights for me. Since the evening, my family and I had been busy preparing for Hari Raya together. We arranged the raya cookies, cleaned the house and prepared drinks for the guests who would come the next day. Luckily, I managed to iron all of my family’s raya outfits early at around 9 p.m. because not long after that, the whole house suddenly experienced a blackout. Before the blackout happened, I also spent time playing fireworks with my cousins and it honestly made the Raya mood feel even more exciting and festive.

The electricity was gone from around 11 p.m. until almost 1 or 2 a.m. Everyone panicked for a while because the next morning was already Hari Raya. We had to continue some of the preparations in the dark and in the heat. However, Alhamdulillah, everything still went smoothly even though we slept quite late that night. Once the electricity came back, everyone finally felt relieved and went to rest for the next morning.

Even though I slept late, I still managed to wake up early for Subuh prayer and started getting ready for Raya. Hari Raya is always very special to me every year. It is also the only day in a year where I wear contact lenses. I took my time doing my makeup while listening to Raya songs to make the mood even more exciting. Honestly, I felt extra pretty and more confident after getting fully ready for Raya.

My Raya makeup this year was honestly one of my favourites so far. My Dior foundation, YSL powder and Huda Beauty loose powder worked so perfectly on my skin. My makeup lasted from morning until evening without cracking or looking cakey at all. I really loved how flawless and glowing my makeup looked throughout the entire day. Looking back at all the photos made me feel even more satisfied with the final result.

This year’s Raya theme was emerald green. I wore an emerald green outfit together with an emerald green shawl so that everything looked perfectly matched. The colour made me feel more elegant and classy on the first day of Raya. After getting fully ready, of course I took several selfies and mirror pictures for memories. As a girl, Hari Raya is definitely one of the best moments to capture beautiful photos.

After my family finished their Hari Raya prayer, I visited my late grandfather’s grave at around 10 a.m. My family and I recited prayers and dedicated Al-Fatihah to him. The atmosphere that morning felt very calm and emotional at the same time. Even though it felt sad, I was still grateful that I could visit his grave together with my family. Moments like this remind me to appreciate my loved ones and every memory we shared together.

I celebrated Raya at my mother’s hometown in Kedah and honestly, I truly love the atmosphere there. My grandmother’s house is located directly opposite the mosque. Since early morning, many people were already walking around and visiting houses, especially the children after Hari Raya prayer. The house never felt quiet because guests kept coming throughout the day. Kedah will always be my comfort place and healing place forever.

The main dishes for our Raya this year were ayam masak ros and satay. Everyone in the family loved the menu because it tasted so good and felt special for Hari Raya. Alhamdulillah, all the food was finished because so many guests came to visit us. Even our Raya cookies had to be restocked many times because visitors kept coming non-stop. It truly felt like the perfect and lively kampung Raya atmosphere filled with laughter and happiness.

After that, I visited many relatives’ houses located near my grandmother’s house. Some houses were close enough that we could simply walk there. For other houses, we rode motorcycles together with family members. I really love the kampung Raya atmosphere because every house is nearby and it makes visiting relatives so much easier. Even though it was tiring, it was still very enjoyable because I got to meet so many family members in one day.

One of the most unique things I received this Raya was a green packet designed like a boarding pass ticket. It even had the words “Business Class Aidilfitri Airlines” written on it and the design looked extremely aesthetic. It immediately reminded me of airport vibes and flight tickets. I even made a short video pretending like I was at the airport because the envelope looked so realistic and beautiful. Until today, I still keep that Raya packet as one of my favourite memories from this year’s Hari Raya.

After visiting relatives, my big family gathered together and played a mystery draw game. We randomly picked envelopes to see what kind of gift or duit raya we would receive. Everyone joined the game regardless of age and the atmosphere became extremely lively. There was so much laughter, excitement and cheering throughout the activity. Games like this honestly made our Raya celebration even more fun and memorable.

In the evening, I took even more Raya photos because the lighting at that time was extremely beautiful. The weather was nice and the sunlight created the perfect golden hour for pictures. Every photo looked more glowing and aesthetic when taken during that time. I truly loved how all my Raya photos turned out this year. Memories like these are the kind that I always want to keep and look back on in the future.

At night, we played fireworks and firecrackers together as a family. The sound of fireworks made the whole kampung feel even more festive and alive. I have always loved watching fireworks because they feel nostalgic and beautiful at the same time. Even though everyone was already tired after a long day of visiting relatives, the night still felt very meaningful and enjoyable. Honestly, this year’s Raya was one of the Raya celebrations I enjoyed the most with my beloved family.

I am truly grateful that I was still given the chance to celebrate Hari Raya with my big family this year. This Raya was filled with laughter, beautiful memories and meaningful moments that I will always remember. Even though the day was tiring because of all the activities and visits, my heart felt genuinely happy throughout the celebration. I hope that in the coming years, I will still be able to celebrate Raya together with my complete big family. May more beautiful memories like this continue to be created in every Hari Raya to come.