Eid al-Fitr
Also called Eid ul-Fitr, Meethi Eid, Choti Eid
Ramadan ends, and the sweets come out
What it is
The day after Ramadan ends. It moves about 11 days earlier every year.
Eid al-Fitr is the festival at the end of Ramadan, the month when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. It starts when the new moon is spotted, so the exact day usually isn't known until the night before. The name means 'festival of breaking the fast.'
How people celebrate
The morning starts with a special Eid prayer, often outdoors or at a big mosque.
Before the prayer, families give zakat al-fitr, food or money for people who need it.
People wear new clothes and hug each other saying 'Eid Mubarak.'
Kids get Eidi, which is money or gifts from older relatives.
The night before, called Chand Raat in South Asia, people go shopping and get henna done.
What people eat
- Sheer khurma
- Thin vermicelli cooked in milk with dates and nuts, big in Pakistan and India.
- Shemai
- Bangladesh's sweet vermicelli, cooked in milk or fried dry.
- Kulcha
- Afghan cookies that families bake by the tray to serve guests.
Did you know?
A lot of people in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh call it Meethi Eid, which means 'sweet Eid,' because of all the desserts.