Decoration, Craft and Baking Ideas for Ramadan and Eid

This post is all about ways to get kids and yourself into the mood for Eid and Ramadan, with baking, craft, and decorating inspirations. Another OPNO girl posted a similar post here 1.) http://howtolivelikeanomaniprincess.blogspot.com/2010/05/all-cute-ramadan-and-eid-decorations.html and here 2.) http://howtolivelikeanomaniprincess.blogspot.com/2010/05/food-presentation-ideas-for-ramadan.html and 3.) http://howtolivelikeanomaniprincess.blogspot.com/2011/08/more-ramadan-decorating-ideas-from.html and here 4.) http://howtolivelikeanomaniprincess.blogspot.com/2011/08/eid-ul-fitr-3-days-after-ramadaan-what.html here few years back. Below, some lovely tablescapes for Eid and Ramadan:

From highly elaborate "Masjid/Mosque" cakes from the skilled baker/decorator to the more simplified cupcakes and sweets, my friend Taya from back in Canada always makes Ramadan special for her son by whipping up one of these sure-to-impress babies. A good way to make kids excited about fasting that's for sure.

Another big thing about Eid or Ramadan is Eid gifts or sharing food. In Oman this is done more during Ramadan, with food, cupcakes, and cookies being the more normal, but I prefer for Eid gifts of cookies, gift bags of nuts and toys and candies, instead of Eidiyia money. I also love cupcakes---who doesn't, but found them to hard to gift until a friend showed me how she would paint cheap glass jars from Rameez and make cupcakes just the right size that they'd fit inside. ADORABLE!!! Healthier options include craved fruit, and more grown-up gifts for friends were always scarves, henna, bukhoor/insence in cute containers. I also have a friend who melts brown candles and uses a non-meltable henna tube (aka a rubber glove) to design beautiful henna-like designs on candles. She gave me a set of three as an Eid gift last year and it was so beautiful I never lit them. Some people say gift-giving makes Eid into a commercial holiday but I find I spend less than those who give out Eidyia and make alot of meat and rice for guests and buy elaborate new clothes for every family member for at least three days... so it depends. I like to do everything homemade and with stuff I already have at hand mostly.

TIP: if you have a hair iron for flattening hair you can seal your own cellophane gift bags and then staple little paper labels right on top.

Of course... if you ARE going to be more traditional and just hand out Eidyia money, then these cute envelopes for kids work nicely:

Below: Ramadan countdown calendars for kids, places to put small toys and goodies for kids who fasted or for kids to put things they want to give to others, even a msall dua/prayer written on a piece of paper:

Eid cards:

Lights for Ramadan nights, to turn on when going for Taraweeah prayers:

On Eid, when all the grown-ups are busy doing henna or getting henna down why not let the kids have their hand at a less messier version with this craft: