I Cannot Afford Any Eid Clothes This Year and It’s Not Okay
After a long month of fasting, prayers and self-reflection, the long awaited Eid Al Fitr finally arrives and we become more than thrilled to light up the streets with bomb w sawaree5 (fireworks), stuff our faces with all the ka7k we can find and show off all the new goodies we bought.
As a child, there was no better way to celebrate Eid than shopping for Eid clothes. It was the epitome of happiness. It was a part of every Muslim’s identity. It was a tradition that all of us held so dear. It was what made Eid Eid.
I remember going to Teta’s (Grandma’s) house on the first day of Eid to show off my new clothes among my cousins and fish for compliments from my family members. We were able to afford three new outfits for the three days of Eid.
But then 2017 arrived in Egypt and we would be considered lucky if we can afford just one.
In an age dominated by fashionistas and #ootd-inspired clothes, many people feel the need to build a whole new wardrobe for Eid, and the challenge isn’t just finding trendy and fashionable clothes, but doing so while not blowing your year’s budget.
A couple of days ago I went to buy a new pajama for Eid and it cost me 1,000 EGP!? And no, it wasn’t even some big brand name!
As a fresh graduate who is still trying to earn a living, I find this absolutely ridiculous. How are we to celebrate Eid if a big sum of our monthly allowance is being spent on one pajama! Unfortunately, these rising expenses force a lot of families to cut back on Eid clothes, and that’s really sad because it takes away from the whole essence of what Eid really is. In recent years, A lot of people just go with what they already have, and suddenly Eid has transformed from being one of my favorite holiday to my least favorite.
