70 DAYS until we are greeted by the holiest month of the Islamic year. As promised here is a breakdown of goals I am setting to get best out of Ramadan.
Life & Spirituality:
Break down your responsibilities over Ramadan and sort out your time table for the Holy month. Then you can plan your time WISELY. But the first step is to sort out your calendar/dairy.
Ideally you only want to keep the responsiblities that cannot be moved or take a back burner until post Ramadan.
These in my opinion are: Work, responsibilities towards family (School runs etc), College/Education and of course your development as a Muslim (prayers, meditation etc).
For some these may include community volunteering and even the gym. But you get the idea.
What can be delayed/moved?
Meeting up with friends, sleep overs for the children, other social events, binge watching box sets…you get the picture.
Knowing how much time you have to commit to Ramadan activities exclusively will help you map out what you want to achieve better. It helps me not over commit and under achieve.
Long fasts….Iftaar parties are so tiring….
As Ramadan 2019 is during the hotter months (with a long day) organising Iftaars is a lot of work and can be very tiring.
Instead of organising Iftaars consider the following:
Donating food to a Food Bank
Volunteering the time to a Soup Kitchen
Send a Food Hamper to close family
Send cookies/Fruit platters for Iftar to friends (you can bake the cookies with children before Ramadan and package them and distribute them on the first of Ramadan).
Send a box of dates. We actually do this. We also send ‘fancy a date’ cones to the School for the Teachers. It’s a nice gesture and includes those that are around your children for such a long period of time to enjoy some of the festivities too.
So what are your goals for Ramadan? Why not leave us a comment below and inspire others too.
It’s funny how time flies isn’t it? The idea behind this countdown isn’t to scare you but rather eliminate that OMG Ramadan starts tomorrow feeling.
So with three months to go…here’s my list of suggestions to get on with.
Health: Have you been meaning to boost your vitamins? Or are you lacking a certain mineral? Now is the time to invest in them so your body has time to adjust to them and reap the benefits. Tip: do your own research into Black Seed Oil. It’s an amazing product and I think doing your own research will benefit you long term.
Sleeping problems? Speak to your GP now and see what options you have to help with the problem.
Smoker? Start looking at cutting back or better still quitting.
Spirituality: The busiest time of the year for the hub of our community (the Masjid) is Ramadan. Why not give it an MOT beforehand? Does the Masjid need paintwork? Does the driveway need patching up? Look at the tasks now and get a group together to get work done before the Holy month. You will feel a lot of satisfaction especially on the first night of prayers when Masjid goers comment on how the Masjid is glowing.
Community: If you live in the West it’s nice to let the community know about Ramadan. Its also good to let elderly in the area be aware of the Holy month and how footfall will increase especially at night. Seeing groups of people you usually do not see can be a worry for elderly people so it’s courtesy let them know the prayer time table.
Tip: if the Masjid route falls on an area with a high elderly population why not get leaflets printed at the masjid to explain Ramadan and offer to assist the elderly with chores, shopping etc? As Ramadan falls in hotter months this can also be a worry for elderly (dehydration is a common problem). Some won’t open windows (in particular of bungalows) in fear of thefts. Be community minded. This is a type of dawah we can all adopt.
Contact your local Police Station and let them know Taraweeh times so that if there is any offers on patrol around that time they can be seen around the Masjid which helps build stronger community links for the younger generations.
Clean up your neighbourhood. Organise a litter pick or get involved with one. Take pride in your area.
Work: Let your boss know when Ramadan is and see what can be done about making life a bit less strainuous without affecting business. This could be leaving earlier if you skip lunch break or working different shifts. But you won’t know what is available until you ask your boss.
College/University/Schools: Inform everyone about Ramadan and when it will be and end. If you have children at School ask for key dates for the diary and adjust your dairy to reflect this.
Tip: Only book things into your diary during Ramadan that you cannot avoid. A long fast, hot weather and working life will result in general lack of energy.
Family:
Even if your children are too young to fast start preparing them for the blessed month. Let them know that Ramadan is coming and you’ll be coming together as a family to celebrate.
And that’s my list! What do you guys do to prepare for the Holy month?
Admit it; even though you know Ramadan is an annual thing you feel it creeps up on you and the panic stricken you promises to devote themselves to nightly prayer sessions, healthy eating and committing to cleansing yourself of this world.
However time gets the best of us and before we know it things are not going to plan.
And every year POST Ramadan we promise next Ramadan will be different. But is it?
Nope!
So this year I will be posting a practical countdown to the Holy Month and hope this helps you get in control of life so you can get the best out of those 30 days and nights.
I’ll also be posting things on Social Media so don’t forget to follow us on there too.
Are you ready for this?
#100daysuntilRamadan
What can you do 100 sleeps before the Holy Month?
Answer: PLENTY.
By being practical and thinking ahead we can do a lot this far in advance.
Health:
Medical issues are one of the biggest reasons we miss fasts and taking part in the nights of blessings. So if you have pre-existing medical problems and need a check up get it done now. Need blood tests for something? Book it and stop putting it off. Give your health an MOT.
Are you a Smoker? Now is the time to consider your options to QUIT.
Have another addiction? Again now is the time as you have ample time to work towards it.
Spirituality:
Have lots to ask Allah for? Make a list of those Duas and update as the month approaches.
Give your life an MOT. Are you happy with life? Is everything going the way you want? Think about what you want to achieve and start making realistic plans now.
Life:
Got plans for big DIY projects around the home? Get organised now. You don’t want workmen in the kitchen banging away at 10AM if you are trying to fit sleep in after a night of reciting Duas and you need to be at work later. Trust me it’s an unproductive mix.
My advice is to AVOID having work done during the month. Sometimes it’s not avoidable but if you can plan as much as possible to have a peaceful Ramadan.
Declutter NOW. That’s right. NOW. The more stuff you declutter now the less stuff you have to worry about later on.
Need to book Annual Leave to give you some space in Ramadan? Do it now (the sooner the better).
Let your children’s School know when Ramadan is…chances are they already know but if you have children that may wish to take part in fasting it’s always good to give the School a heads up and vice versa.
Confident Speaker? Why not offer to read a Ramadan/Eid book at School and explain what Ramadan is to younger children so they understand why their friends celebrate it?
Top Tip: avoid booking play dates, shopping trips and other things in Ramadan. Mark Ramadan and Eid (both) on a Calendar and in your diary so that when you do go to pencil something in you can see it’s Ramadan.
Versatile decorations for Eid, Ramadan and beyond.
Don’t you just love it when Christmas decorations land in shops in July. No really. I’m being sincere. But why would a Muslim be excited about the decorations that spill out of every single shop on the High Street?
Because we’re living in an era where most decorations can be used across religions, cultures and beyond.
How is that possible I hear you cry. Well firstly the decorations market is becoming more and more competetive as social media sites such as Instagram show us how ‘the other half lives’ and well we all want to buy decorations that truly are awesome, unique and non standard in the traditional sense.
When I was a kid I remember tinsel, tinsel, more tinsel and red and white decorations. Gold was also a feature colour. But that was the colour palettes the general consumer worked with unless they became creative and produced their own decorations (in an era before Pinterest trust me this was very very difficult).
I love decorating my home for Eid, Ramadan and Birthdays. I just love bringing in magical vibes for the girls to get lost in. So I’ve created a list of my top 10 decorations that are fit for a variety of celebrations.
Make a list of what you need and when the decoration season hits fill that basket with a bargain or three of versatility.
NOTE: shops have already started slashing prices guys! So see you all on Boxing Day to get our decoration fix.
1) Beaded garlands.
Without a shadow of a doubt this is my top decoration. You can pick up beaded garland in an array of colours. We currently own a bucket of gold beaded garlands plus pink and purple. We also have some white ones (for Frozen themed parties). Now I use them: hang them up, wrap them around things, use them to hang up lanterns…get creative. Why I love them: they are so versatile. Plus they are cheap and durable. Poundland bring in a range of colours every year. That’s a quid for 8 metres. And if you are looking at topping up your collection you can pick up garlands for as cheap as 25 pence in the post Christmas sales. That’s right. How do you think I ended up with a bucket of gold beaded garlands?
2) Paper lanterns Oh my goodness. This is where my Pinterest obsession creeps in. Years ago I came across an image of a Tangled themed wedding and they used various paper lanterns to decorate the gazebo. It looked magical. The next thing you know I was ordering various lanterns in various colours and sizes. So as these lanterns are made from paper you cannot use them with candles (just thought I would point out the obvious) and due to the material they can be delicate to handle so you need to bare that in mind. However since I first started using lanterns 4 years ago I haven’t damaged a single one beyond a bit of TLC. Now to use them: assemble them (straight forward procedure so don’t panic) and hang them up. If you want to create a magical airy look use transparent thread. Why I love them: the instant pop of colour! If you need to decorate a large area you can get some pretty big lanterns and hang them in clusters (in a mixture of sizes) to create a bit of a feature. The combinations are endless if you mix them up with honeycomb balls and paper fans. Plus if you look after them you can REUSE them! My top tip: want a bit of extra bling for an outdoor event? Spray the lanterns with glitter spray. The glitter will glisten in the sunlight. I usually order mine 6/8 weeks before I need them so I can order them cheaper from China.
3) Honeycomb balls When my oldest turned one I ordered pink honeycomb balls and at the time places like Poundland didn’t stock them so I paid a silly price per ball. Anyhow 7 years in and those honeycomb balls are still being used. The honeycomb balls get their name from their pretty shape. You can buy honeycomb balls (made out of tissue paper) in a wide range of colours and sizes so there’s something to fit every budget. Why I love them: the range of colours and sizes available readily makes these babies a must for me. Plus if you fold them back up and store them carefully they WILL last (like I said I’ve had some for 7 years…). Tip: if you require larger sized honeycomb balls and want to grab some at a bargain try eBayers in China.
4) Glitter covered branches.
So if you cannot take glitter avoid these guys. But if like my family you need a bit of bling these are worth their weight in gold. Basically dried branches are painted and covered in glitter. You then take these beauties home and place them in a vase and great a centre point for your table, mantle etc. I bought a range of colours in the post Christmas sales. I drape beaded garlands on the branches to add some extra bling. You can mix and match to make a statement. Why I love them: its a big statement piece at an affordable price. I paid £1.25 for a bunch of branches from Asda post Christmas. They can be reused too. Tips: planning a mendhi? Why not get green branches and drape over gold beaded garlands as the centre piece for tables.
5) pre cut foil letter banners I love a good DIY project but I find some things are cheaper to purchase readymade and in the case of Foil/glitter card signs. If you calculate the price of card, plus the time it takes to cut the letters out etc buying pre-made is a bargain. I use Eid Mubarak glitter letter signs to create statements at Eid. I got 3 signs from eBay for £4.68 (the seller was based in China and I placed my order 2 months in advance). Why I love them: simple statement really. Affordable and reusable. Plus I like to have signs in photos incase I suffer from memory problems when I’m older.
6) Fairy lights Oh dear lord. Fairy lights! I don’t think these need much of an introduction but with such a variety there’s so much scope with them. Drape them around the home, hang them up, use outdoor ones draped over plants…the possibilities are endless. There’s colourful lights, twinkling ones, solar powered outdoor lights, flashing ones…ones you can connect up to speakers. What a time to be alive if you love fairy lights. Why I love them: just re-read the above. Tips: Superstores often have offers on around Christmas and you can actually pick up bargains before the post Christmas sales.
7) Paper mache pre-made letters If you have lots of shelves or a mantle that needs a bit of festive love this could be a cost effective option for you. I bought my letters off eBay and paid £1.20 per letter (with an additional 15% off for buying 10+ letters). I then painted the letters using metallic paint (purchased from Poundland-I can recommend their metallic acrylic ‘poster paints’ as I’ve used purple, gold and turquoise from the range). The project took a total of less than 2 hours and I now have a set of awesome freestanding letters than look awesome on my shelves. Why I love them: you can spell whatever you want to. And you can use any colour, use a bit of glitter…and let your imagination run free. Tip: a great crafting idea for little ones to get them in the festive mood and let them participate in the decoration of the home for any special event/festivity.
8)Painted upcycled jars (as candle holders) I love a good DIY project so this was right up my street. I collected a range of glass jars and painted them in a range of jewel coloured glass paints. I use these holders with battery powered ‘tealight’ candles so I don’t have any major fire hazards to worry about whilst celebrating. Plus I don’t have to scrape wax out of the holders (less work!). Why I love them: I can use the jars outdoors and indoors and the glistening lights look magical. Plus the colour range of paints is amazing. Tips: keep the jars in your shed/outhouse during colder months as frost will damage them. Get children involved in painting jars. If you have a steady hand try using glass outline pens to draw on patterns. The possibilities are endless.
9) Baubles The old fashioned bauble has withstood the test of time. You can pick up baubles in all colours, textures, shapes and sizes too. You can hang them up, place them in vases, stick them to a hula hoop and create a large wreath….get creative with these babies. You can also create personalised bauble countdown garlands by writing on the baubles too (e.g. 6 sleeps til Eid…. etc). Hang some baubles with ribbon and hang them in your window. Why I love them: baubles are a cheap and effective away to add colour and texture to your home and decor collection. You can get creative with them too. Pick up boxes of baubles from Superstores and DIY stores such as B&Q in the post Christmas sales.
10) Wire decorations Again I love DIY and garden wire based decorations are one of my favourite things ever. Firstly you can get really creative and let children join in. Secondly wire is really affordable (especially if you use garden wire) and thirdly you can create decorations for the garden that will last a while. My favourite things to create are cressant moons and also letters too. I wrap them with hessian string (again super affordable) and then paint them (our favourite: gold paint). Intertwine with fairy lights and create something magical.
That concludes my list of decorations I recommend for your decoration box. I delibrately left off balloons as yes they are super cheap but cannot be reused.
What is your favourite decoration? And what would you rather be without? Leave a comment below.
