A belated Eid Mubarak to everyone! Ramadan was officially over at about midnight on July 27, and Eid Al Fitr (the feast of the breaking of the fast) started on July 28. The celebrations for Eid typically last for three days, so for three days there were feasts, festivities and fireworks. Gifts were exchanged, usually in the form of Riyals (cash), new clothes were bought and worn, the poor received an abundance of money, gifts and food, and the Malls were emptier. Many of the stores in the Mall were closed, but not most of them, as is usually the case on Christmas in the west. For those that were open, they were offering huge discounts – 50-70% off – which is a lot like the first few days after Christmas.

On Eid, I even got a couple of gifts from my employer, which happily surprised me. And a few times, I received gifts of food from strangers while out and about. The spirit of giving and a time for that giving seems to exist all over the world.

Because of the Eid holiday, I have been at home for the past five days. I have done mostly a lot of nothing, which we should all do occasionally. Some of the teachers left the country “on holiday” and some, like me, stayed and enjoyed the calmly festive environment of Riyadh. But, back to work on Sunday!

I hope that everyone had a joyful and blessed Eid.