Decorating for Ramadan for the First Time!
Moving into my new home was an exciting period of time for me. The independence you feel is amazing, and you can really start "adulting". One of the things I was particularly excited about was the fact that I could decorate my home however I wished and create new traditions for special occasions.
As I was a creative, crafty type, I simply handmade many of my decorations, and would buy disposable decorations here and there. The first Eid I decorated for, I made my own banner and table centrepiece, but found streamers and balloons on eBay. I matched everything including disposable tableware, and I even made cute party hats from scratch with my young nephew.
As the years went on, it came to my notice that it was really difficult to find Ramadan or Eid related decorations on the market that were not only good quality, but also reusable. After all, much of the decorations found online are not made to last through the years, but are made to enjoy for a few days, and with young children in the home they can sometimes last just a few hours! For a few years I continued to craft and create my decorations from paper and card, and would match disposable decor and tableware here and there. Pinterest was my friend, and I used the app a lot for inspiration. But as time went on, I wanted to create decorations for *everyone* to enjoy and not just myself. I wanted to design pieces that would inspire children and parents alike to make an effort connecting to their Islamic faith and these amazing religious holidays we have.
At first I too thought of using paper and card to create decorations, but this didn't produce the result I wanted. It was very laborious and I struggled to find a reasonable price to charge for the pieces, considering so many hours went into them. After a lot of thought, I realised I wanted to create something that was timeless, and would really amaze and inspire people. I envisioned a Ramadan countdown calendar of sorts with a special action complementing each day of the holy month. The idea was, that this would encourage families to complete a good deed and then take a treat as a reward! After a lot of research, and with a lot of investment of time, the Lunar Celebrations Ramadan calendars came to be!
As time went on I would add new colours, and new pieces to the collection. Even now, I am still designing and thinking of new ideas to create special moments for families across the world! I hope that these pieces will bring happiness year in and year out to the families who have taken them into their homes, and my biggest hope is that it inspires the younger generation to have that excitement for this blessed and beautiful month.
This was *my* journey to make Ramadan or Eid fun for young children, but that doesn't mean your journey should be the same. Each family can make Ramadan and Eid memorable for their families in different ways, and often it costs very little money but requires instead a lot of imagination! Follow crafty bloggers and see how they decorate their homes for inspiration, and download Pinterest for your daily dose of DIY inspo. Take time to visit the crafty section of stores - you never know what hidden gem you might find that can inspire you to take things to the next level.
Here's praying your Ramadan and Eid will be full of joy and blessings this year!
Iqra :)