With the advent of Eid al -Adha, the traditions of visits and family meetings, which are one of the most prominent aspects of joy and communication in Arab societies. However, the joy of the meeting may be disturbed by some spontaneous behavior that weighs the hosts or spoils friendliness between family and friends, which makes the commitment to “etiquette visits to the feast” is important to ensure the comfort of the guest and the host alike, and to transform the meetings from social duties into enjoyable moments of respect and joy.
Etiquette Eid Al -Adha
Dr. Doaa Peru, the consultant Etiquette and approved behaviors, notes that the most important rule during Eid al -Adha is to avoid sudden visits without prior coordination, especially in the early days of the holiday, given that the people of the house are busy slaughtering and distributing them. It recommends postponing home visits to congratulate after the noon prayer, so that the hosts can complete the Eid rituals and take a break.
Dr. Peru explains that if the visit is short, it is sufficient to provide drinks and sweets, but if it exceeds the two hours, it is better to serve food. It stresses the importance of diversifying the table and not limiting meat, taking into account the different tastes, noting the need to add a plate of chicken as an alternative option. It is also recommended to allocate a children’s room, especially if they are close, to play freely without disturbing adults or confusing the hospitality atmosphere.
Dr. Sherihan El -Desouki, a consultant accredited in etiquette and behaviors, also recommends a set of arrangements before and during the Eid al -Adha feast, the most important of which is “the completion of cleaning the house well in a sufficient time and not waiting until the last moments, to avoid stress, as well as not attending the slaughtering operations for children under the age of 10 years, and not to prolong the period of family visits.”
“In the event that the family decides to eat abroad, it is better to book the restaurant for a while with the choice of favorite foods to avoid random choices and waste time searching for a suitable place.”
Festival duties and visits … fun or a psychological burden?
Carole de Lu says the blog in the field of etiquette and hospitality assets in its blog “Bloskai Atom” that there are simple details that transform hospitality tasks from fun to psychological and physical burden, and the fun times are dissipated in a set of exhausting and difficult details, so it recommends taking into account a set of points, the most important of which is:
- Preparing a table that makes everyone feel comfortable, while deleting any extra details of the need that can cause tension or tightness.
- Choose the types of food that allows staying with guests, not staying stuck in the kitchen to produce a perfect meal.
- Make the house comfortable, not perfect, it will not benefit the signs of life inside the house.
- Focus on good conversations and enjoy gathering instead of focusing on food only.
- Attention to the ideas, feelings and preferences of the guests, asking questions to them and listening with interest to their answers.
Special advice for hosts in holidays
According to etiquette expert Carole de Lu, the owners of the house must follow a set of guidelines to give guests a comfortable experience in times of happy holidays, the most important of which are:
- Deficient planning for the menu with pre -preparation as much as possible, so that you can enjoy celebrations and take care of your guests.
- If the guests request that they bring a specific dish, it is preferable to determine the item clearly and not to leave the matter open, for example, it says: “Bring a baking tag”, and not “bring the type of vegetables.”
- The honorable host gives its guests some remaining food.
- If you have guests who do not know each other, give them to each other and tell them a little about each other.
- Ensure that the bathroom is clean and its pleasant smell, and that it contains suitable hand towels, a lot of bathroom paper and a good lock, and it may be appropriate to have a scented candle.
- Always thank your guests for their presence and wished them a safe trip to their homes.
Common situations and repeated errors for guests on holidays
Etiquette experts refer to a set of errors that guests may make in times of holidays and public events, which may spoil the entire visit if not paid to them, such as:
Not to inform the host of nutritional problems such as allergies, for example, or the vegetable food system, sufficiently before the event. If it is not possible to prepare special food, you can prepare your favorite dish, and share it with your host.
Not to offer assistance to the host, especially in the case of cooking for large numbers, as it may be appropriate to ask him about bringing candy, drinks, or even flowers to decorate the trip, or perhaps a delicious breakfast meal as a break from cooking the next morning.
- Not to alert children to follow the etiquette of table, and that it is unacceptable to fight a battle on food or complaint of anything the host offers.
- Raising political, religious issues or hot, sensitive or private issues … as it is always preferable to talk about the ineffective topics.
- Lack of time, which is usually within 15 minutes of the agreed time before or after but not too early, nor late.
- Not to adhere to the item that you told you will attend, or not to alert the host if you will need to use the oven or the refrigerator.
- Not to use cute compliments and expressions regarding food, decoration, customs and existing people.
- Use a mobile phone during the visit time.
- Not participating in the talks from the rest of the guests.
- Excessive food.
- Not to offer help.
- Insist on help or entering the kitchen despite the host’s refusal.
- Open the refrigerator without the host’s permission.
Ultimately, Eid visits remain an opportunity to enhance family and social ties, and this is only achieved with kindness, taste and respect for the privacy of others. In addition to avoiding common mistakes and taking into account the simple etiquette rules ensures a comfortable and enjoyable experience for everyone, and reflects the guest’s appreciation for his host and his keenness to be a positive part of the festive atmosphere.