Eid gifts

Eid-ul-Fitr is nigh! And in Bangladesh, Eid is arguably the biggest religious holiday celebrated by the majority of the population. It is one of the only opportunities to surprise your loved ones, and not to mention, reward them after a long month of Ramadan fasting with some fun, meaningful, and innovative Eid gifts instead of (or better yet: along with) the Eidi money.
Along with the customary and traditional “Eid Mubarak!” text blast to your entire contact list, try giving actual holiday cards to friends, handmade cards with card paper, pastels, glitter, etc. and other such creative materials and stationary which can be found in abundance at places like New Market, Jatra or in one of the many branches of Boi Bichitra. Everyday materials can also be used to accessorise, for example gluing an aged dry leaf into the card adds an element of natural beauty. A card would perfectly convey best wishes and allow your deep-seated thoughtfulness and Eid cheer to shine through, whilst being more tangible than an E-card or text.
Other gift items could be more personalised and in accordance to the receiver's tastes. A personal mixed CD playlist made simply with a blank CD from a DVD store, synced with your own music tracks from iTunes would make any music lover's Eid special. Fun things to give to a group of your favourite people could be customised shirts or mugs with inside jokes or pictures printed on it which can be done at Image on Elephant Road. Fabrics would be a better idea for those industrious fashionistas with more discerning tastes.
Jewellery such as bangles, earrings or nupurs and things like sparklers and video games can be mixed and matched for girls and boys depending on their interests and personal preferences, and actually buying loose beads from places like Chadni Chawk and UAE Market, thus making a completely new pattern would be going the extra mile to make them happy and tailor to their tastes. Books can also be given to children to instill and encourage good reading habits to follow through on their Eid break. You could even construct an 'Eid Survival' hamper of sorts by gathering a bunch of mini presents of Eid necessities, with things like mehendi, bangles, seasonal flowers, a batch of your grandmother's halua, etc. in a wicker basket to 'wow' your loved ones and to make this Eid the best one yet.