It is almost that time of the year again.
Children aren't complaining as much as they used to, as if transfixed on an idea of what the next few days would promise them.
Adults seem to have a distant look in their eyes, as they mentally start their journeys of 'balik kampung', even before the workday is officially over.
Excitement is buzzing through the air, and everywhere, the atmosphere seems charged with an almost magical energy.
Eid is only a few days away...
Soon the hunger will be satisfied.
Soon the wallets will be full of money 'extorted' from relatives.
Soon the happy faces of family and loved ones arriving at the doorsteps, arms outstretched and full of embrace.
As the countdown to Raya grows nearer, families start their ritual traditions...Some start buying ingredients to prepare the sumptuous array of ketupat, rendang, and sambal kacang. Some start taking their best curtains out to the wash, or even buy new curtains to show off to the neighbours.
My family does one extra.
Every Raya, we sing.
And a few days before raya, we practice singing...
As incredible as incredible as it may sound, it has been a long-practiced tradition in my family (on my mother's side) that all the nephews and nieces (my generation) and would have to perform something for our elders (my parents' and grandparents' generations), before we could even smell our 'duit raya'.
So, on Raya morning, after we'd finished the feast and gone for our Eid prayers, all the aunts and aunties would assemble and sit on the sofas arranged in a semi-circle.
Next, one by one, according to age, the youngest being first, we would have to stand in front of them and perform anything that our little hearts desired.
This would include badly (though cutely) sung renditions of Negaraku, showtunes from famous musicals, or even 'silat' performances (which I was guilty of many, many years ago)...
What would result is something along the lines of "America's Got Talent", with these two exceptions: First, instead of thousands of screaming Americans, it would be my mother's side of the family (aptly labeled Familymuar). Second, instead of a 'talent' show, we'd get a 'slight-talent' show, or even a 'no-talent' show.
But, it's all done in good fun... And a pocketful of 'duit raya'.
Hey...
Wait a minute...
Why am I still performing, even though I don't get any 'duit raya'?
Comments
selamat hari raya!! got our lil card for ya?
...but that, coming from me, doesn't sound right hehehe :-D
u dont get any duit raya, n u're performing? hmm..because u're still one of their granchildren? hihi.
happy raya sir. sorry for all the wrong deeds i've done. :)
After so long this is a total surprise to me; never heard you having that tradtion before from FamilyMuar b4 reading this blog. But come to think of it; NOt Bad... Not Bad at all.. Gives that kind of personality show and help us do away with painful self consciousness that plagued my formative years. Maybe I should tiru this tradition if ever I can start Eid celeb from my own home; of which I never had any opportunity;..oops.. one trial too long ago that ended so badly, I would not care to remember..
I fear the doors to duit raya are no longer open to me :(
Aydee,
It's ALWAYS about the duit raya!
Greg,
U wanna come on as the judge? I'll let u even be the first guy..but u have to talk with a British accent lah..
Atiqah,
Unfortunately, my grandparents have all passed away, my grandmother being the last...
Maaf zahir batin to u too :)
Pakcik Ali,
Why not give it a try and see how it goes..And don't forget to videotape everything and send us a copy!
mau duit raya. nyanyi tu, kemudian boleh,ehehe
Apa apa lagi?...nyanyi lah... baru blh claim duit raya...muuuuaaahahaha!
Cool! I almost wished that we had such a tradition in our family but knowing my own family members, once they hold a microphone, some will not want to let go (no, not the grandnieces and grandnephews but their granduncles and grandaunties!)
In our family, we go out visiting on the first day of Syawal, receive friends and family on the second and maximum lepak at the house on the third (there will still be friends and relatives coming on the 3rd).
You'll never guess what happened this Raya... One of my uncles brings along his laptop,connects it to portable speakers, and starts blasting karaoke from it...and for the first time in history, it was the aunts and uncles who stole the show!!! Along with some duit raya mind you! But it was fun watching them do it... I guess that's years of pent up energy at just watching the children perform...Hehehehe...
Good thing they could hold a tune...
What's with the tag! Haiyaaaa...
U want duit raya? hehehehe...
Get in line and start performing.
Boleeeeh...please do..nnt I buat open house insyaallah.
Now, do that Soldier of Fortune one more time for Dad, please.
eid mubarak, sir! =]
For you, anytime... :)
Onn,
Devoius little fellow aren't you?...
Hehehehe...
Eid Mubarak to you to...