Fragrance of Henna, Sweetness of Sheerkhorma, hands full of colourful bangles, and brightness of new clothes marks the festival of Eid. Eid have a special significance for the Muslims around the World. Eid is a day of celebrations, delight and thanksgiving. It's a day of forgetting enmities and greeting each other with the word "Eid Mubarak".
Be it in UAE or UK, traditional Eid celebrations start with the sighting of New Moon. Chand raat is a unique event and flock of people comes out of their homes and rush to the markets for the late night shopping of bangles, shoes, ready made garments and other Eid accessories. Chand raat is an ideal opportunity for last minute shoppers. In European countries special chand raat festivals are organised by Muslim communities providing an prospect to new generation to enjoy tradition of culture enjoyment of chand raat.
The preparations for Eid started late this year traditional enthusiasm of Eid celebrations were over shadowed, due to the floods have and uncertain law and order situations. But the EID shopping got momentum with the beginning of the last week of the Holy month, and it reached its peak at the chand raat. Top shopping malls of posh areas and other local markets have made special arrangements to attract buyers.
Women always want to look gorgeous and attractive on Eid; beauty parlors have made this desire of being beautiful easier for women. Women rush to the salons on the eve of the chand raat for new hair style and make up tips to look up to date on Eid.
With the exception of few, beauty parlors are equipped with quality products and professional staff. Foreign brand cosmetics companies have launched their products in trendy parlors so make sure to choose right salon for your trendy look on Eid. On Eid because of rush some small and local beauty parlors don't give importance to hygiene and cleanliness of the equipments such as combs brushes, and towels which cause pimples, rashes and other allergies on the skin. So always prefer reputable beauty parlors especially on Eid time.
Hot summer days demands sheer and light makeup on this Eid. Experts suggest buying of quick and simple products that can keep you fresh and ever green at the end of the day, best shades to use are neutral browns, smudgy grays, earthy pinks and peaches. On Eid, a light makeup in morning looks great. Natural tones for eye shadows, and blush on, water proof mascara, mate lipstick and cake eyeliner are trendy and recommended by top beauticians. Besides pedicure and manicure, women have shown their interest for herbal facial treatment, plucking of eye brows and straightening of hair for fresh look on Eid.
Like women, fashion-conscious men have rushed to trendy beauty salons for acquiring the services of beauticians for grooming and styling on Eid. From hair care to whitening of the skin products for men, seen to be easily available in superstores.
The traditional attraction of Eid is the decoration of hand and feet with henna. Prior to Eid there were rumours that flood had caused loss to Henna business across Pakistan. A Newspaper stated that the usual rush of people on henna shops have shown marked decrease this year and people dealing in the business were eagerly waiting for customers. But all these rumors have gone with the wind and as the EID come round the corner, stalls and tents were set outside the shopping malls and beauty parlors to decorate the hands with Arabic, Sudani, Egyptian, and Indian designs.
This year, in many localities, women have started doing small scale businesses at their homes. Exclusive items for women such as stitched and unstitched dresses, hand and machine embroidered suites and imported jewellery items made it easy for women to choose their dresses and accessories well in time, at their own localities. These home based shops are blessing for those women having fears of crowded bazaars.
An expert says: "Eid is the best time of the year to show your style and elegance." Most of the women and girls try their best to select trendy and stylish dresses to steal the show on Eid days. As this Eid come during the hot summer days, fashion designers recommend that cool aqua shades, blue, grey, sea green, pink, peach, white are the trendiest colours to pick for your Eid dresses. Long frocks, frocks with short bodies, long shirts with bell shaped sleeves, big cuff sleeves with broad lace silk, chiffon, georgette, floral and colourful neck, sleeves and hem line embroidered suites with trousers, loose pants and shalwar were most demanded outfits of the Eid 2010.
Celebrations of Eid are incomplete without bright, luminous and glowing bangle sets. Wide range of multi-coloured, different types of jhumka bangles, and floral painted bangles are available in the market. This year, long earrings with round loops of silver and gold's, fake diamond earrings, are said to be the choice of many girls. Women have shown their interest on shoes having comfort with style; but they complained of hike of 20 to 25 % in the price of shoes as compared to the last year.
For enhancing sweetness of Eid, people are hosting their visitors with the Arabian delights. Arabian Baklava with almonds or pistachio gets popularity this year. At the same time traditional rass malai, burfi, gulab jaman are common delights of hot summer days.
Despite the diversity and variety, one common thing, among Muslims around the world is Islamic spirit of giving charity, and sharing the happiness with those deprived and desperate fellow beings. Every Muslim has faith that the day is not only a day of celebration, but also a measure for encouraging consideration for those less fortunate. On this Eid, one prominent trend is buying of Eid gifts and dresses for flood affected people. A group of students has prepared family packs to distribute among flood afectees on Eid. "We want them not to feel alone at this time of Eid."
Feeling the pain of flood afectees many families have decided to cut their Eid budget and celebrate the day with simplicity. Mrs Sakina, a retired school teacher says: "Eid is a gift of God for fasters but, we must not forget the miseries of those who have lost their properties, lands and livestock. They need aid and our moral support to survive."
In one locality, young girls has been organising an exhibition of bangles and other accessories to raise income for buying Eid gifts for children of the relief camps.
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