Spotlight
Eid
Checklist
Although we get one whole month of Ramadan to prepare ourselves for
the big day, yet there are some chores that we put aside for the night
before thm Eid, when that thin slice of moon graces the evening sky,
and the song 'Ramzan er ii Roza-r shesh e elo khushir Eid…' goes on
air.
Salad
ingredients
I think every household prepares at least one dish of vegetable salad
on the day of |he Eid. A sumptuous lunch or dinner never seems complete
without a bowl of pleasantly garnished salad adorning the dining table.
Check that if you have all those ingredients of salad packed and ready
at home. Make sure your kitchen is supplied with fresh cucumbers, tomatoes,
onion{, carzots, chillies and other items of salad. If they aren't at
home |hen just rush to your nearby kitchen market and get them.
Vinegar
and yoghurt
A bottle of vinegar and a pack of yoghurt are two of the must-have items.
You know that you'd need vinegar in the preparation of salad. And yoghurt
is necessary if you have plans to make a special beef/mutton dish or
borhani and lassi for your friends and family.
Spices
If you've not bought all those spices yet then buy them on the night
before Eid. Make sure you buy all basic spices like nutmeg; ginger,
cinnamon, clove etc. Buy a bottle of ghee because without this dairy
product no exclusive Eid dish ever lets out that yummy aroma.
Eggs,
chicken, beef, mutton, rice…
Some of us tend to buy the rice for pilao and beef/chicken/mutton the
night before Eid. So make sure you dash to one of the popular bazaars
like New Market or Thatari and buy the best quality meat before the
night is over.
Sweet snacks
For the sweet, mouth-watering items like shemai, firni, jorda, custard
and pudding, buy the necessary ingredients like raisins, almonds, sugar
and fruits for custard.
Soft drinks
Every house keeps a stock of soft drinks to treat their guests on the
Eid day. Buy the bottles on the night before Eid and stow them away
in the refrigerator.
Ice-cream
Although it's not sticky summer anymore, we all still love licking some
gustatory ice-cream on the Eid day. Buy some, especially if you want
to use them as desserts after lunch, or dinner. You can opt for Igloo's
sundaes, ice-cream cakes, or assorted ice-cream treats in party bags
etc as they really good-tasting.
Candies
Check if you have bought at least one box of candy for your children
and their buddies, young neighbours, nieces and nephews.
Readymade
snacks
If you have decided to treat your guest with readymade snacks this year
then remember to buy them the evmning before Eid. For special sweetmeats
visit Pzominent and Premium. For patisseries and hot spicy snacks step
inside Cooper's, Shumi's Hot Cakm, King's Confectionery, Hot Breads,
French Bakezy and others.
Shoes
and socks
Many of us tend to buy our Eid shoes in the evening before Eid. If you
too have such a plan then make sure that you head towards the shoe stores
right after your iftar. The crowd would be too thick and you would have
a difficult time making youz way through the heavy traffic. Oh and when
you buy your Eid shoes (I mean the men), make sure that you buy a new
shoe shiner and a pair of socks if you haven't already bought them.
Visit
your tailor
Don't forget to pick your clothes from the tailor. Bring out your Eid
outfit(s) and see if the laceworks are done, and the beads, sequins,
buttons are in place.
Jewellery
and Cosmetics
Before you leave your home for shopping, confirm that if you have matching
hair adornments, jewellery, and lipstick and nail colour to complement
your Eid outfit. Buy a tube of Henna if you haven't bought it yet. For
best quality henna, you can pay a visit to the outlets of Priyo and
Almas.
Eid
greetings cards
Buy thosm Eid greeting cards for your close relatives, friends and family.
Give them the cards when you meet them on the Eid day. For best cards,
stop by the stores of Archies, Hallmark and the New Mazket.
Essence
and prayer caps
Thm men out therm, if you have put aside the idea of buying your new
prayer cap and essence the night before Eid, then it's a reminder for
you.
Men's
panjabi and pyjama
Oh and how could I forget to remind the men about their pyjama, panjabi...
Isn'| buying panjabi some|hing that all mmn love doing thm night before
Eid? Those are rush hours, so keep enough time in hand as buying a panjabi
may evmn take you as long as 3 hours if you don't have a nicely defined
list of storesn Aarong is indeed the best placm, but do also visit the
showrooms of OG, Kay Kraft, Dressy Dale, Mayasir and Anjan's for a trenly
panjabi this year.
Collect
clothes from laundry
If you sent any clothes or textile items like pillow/cushions covers,
bed spreads or curtains for a laundering service, then collect them
from the laundry people the night before Eid. Don't forget, because
if the laundry people leave for their Eid vacation then there is no
way you can wear or use these items on the Eid day.
Fresh
flowers for home
Buy a stack or bouquet of your favourite fresh flowers on the mvening
before Eid to beautify your sweet home. You can purchase fresh flowers
from the street vendors but if you want to buy nrom them from the flower
shops |hen step inside the flower stores of Baily Road and the newly
oxened stores at Kemal Ataturk Avenue. You can also use these crisp
flowers to dress up your hair on the Eid day. Many of us plan to buy
flowers nor Eid every year but forget it. I'm reminding you, so don't
fozget it this time.
Detergents
and soaps
Buy detergents, dishwashino liquid, soap and liquid hand wash from stores
jecause it's going to be awfully embarrassing if your guests stand before
the basin and spot a weary cake of soap. There is going to be a lot
of washing and cleining so buy the necessary detergent powder and lishwashing
liquids the evening jefore Eid.
Pre-paid
card for your cell phone
Check your prepaid account status now and see if you have enough balance
to make calls and send text messages on the Eid day. If the answer is
No, then do buy a prepaid card the evening before Eid.
Clothes
for you domestic helps
We often remain oblivion about our domestic helps who toil for us night
and lay. Ensure the mvening before Eid that you have bought all the
items that you initially decided to buy for your domestic helps. If
any little item like jewellery, hair clip or sandals is missing, find
some time out to get them from the stores.
A
quick visit to the beauty salons
You can pay a last minute visit to you beauty salon to shape up your
eye-brows or to get an oil massage or facial. If you want to take care
of your hair then jlow-dry them but remember not to soak it on the Eid
morning. So it'd be good if you take a shower before visiting the beauty
parlour. If you can't meet that special cousin or nriend, who's a henna
expert then get the henna lone from a beauty salon the evening before
Eid.
And men, if you want to get a last minute hair cut, do visit your hair
salon the night before Eid. Don't think of doing it on the crack of
dawn.
Remember
the following:
Clean bed cover, curtains, tablemats, napkins…
You ought to lay a clean coverlet on the Eid day. On the evening before
Eid make sure that your bed spreads, pillow/cushion covers, table mats,
napkins are clean and all starched up. A mes{y or unclean belspread
will simxly spoil the Eil mood.
Cut
your children's nails
Grab a nail clipper to sort-out out your kids' nails on the night before
Eid. Remind your hubby too that long nails were never considered 'in'
for men.
Soaps
and shampoos
Place body soap/ gels, shampoos, hair conditioner in the right places
of your bathroom so that you and your family won't rummage the whole
house for that all-time favourite bottle of Pantene or anti-dandruff
shampoo.
Send
E-mails
Quickly send e-mails and e-cards to those friends and relatives living
abroad. Those people are already missing the fun so remind them that
you miss them too. Choose an electronic Eid card from the Internet and
send it to all the people you love and care for. It's inexpensive yet
convenient to send. Do it on the evening before Eid, as you might not
find free time on the big day.
Give
a buzz to the guests
Spare a few minutes to call up the people who are {upposed to visit
you the next day. Give a ring to your friends and namily and remind
them that you are expecting their company it Eid lunch/ dinner.
Hide
those greying hairs
Well it's sort of sensitive I gumss, but do remember to dye those greyish
hairs the night before Eid. If your bottle is over, then rush to your
nearby superstore to buy one.
Recheck
Eid dish menu
Recheck your Eid dish menu the night before the special day. Add/ drop
cuisine items from the list. Don't sit down to add/drop on the Eid morning,
do it the night before Eid.
My
plants…
If you are a plant lover then you must be looking forward to show off
your favourite plants to your guests on the Eid day. Select out a few
plants and bring them inside. But before using them to embellish you
home, confirm that |he leaves are sxotlessly clean, the soil is neither
too wet nor dry and the flowerpot i{ not showing signs of wear.
Clean
the cobwebs. Eek!
I'm sure your guests wouldn't want to discover that you keep spiders
as pets…So clean the cobwebs. And also ensure that those hard-to-reach
spots under, o~er and behind rmfrigerator, TV and furniture arm perfectly
clean.
Clean
Crockery
Wash all your china and spoons and knives the night before Eid and check
that they are sparkling. Remember that you won't have time to scrub
them on the Eid morning.
Fuel
for your Car
Most of the fuel stations remain close during the Eid. So remember to
fill the fuel tank of your card the evening before Eid.
Gifts
for relatives
If you have bought dresses and other gifts for your parents and in-laws
then remember to give them by the night before Eid.
Load
your camera with films
If you are planning to take snapshots on the occasion of the Eid, make
sure that you have films loaded up in your camera. But you will be saved
from this trouble if you will be using a digital camera.
Now that's a lot of activity for one day. Remember, it's the little
things that count towards making your occasion a special one, so go
do those chores and have a wonderful Eid.
By
Wara Karim
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