Eid Mubarak 🌙 Akú Ọdún
Wishing everyone celebrating Eid a beautiful one filled with love, laughter, family and good food. ❤️
Feeling very nostalgic for childhood Eid al Adha celebrations back home -
fondly called Iléya in Yorùbá.
My grandparents would kill a small cow, or sometimes a goat…
Depending on how financially buoyant they were that year. 😀
The women would spend the entire day cooking all sort of dishes.
But the real cooking only started once the men had finished slaughtering.
And we would all eat like we had never seen food before in our lives. 😂
Then came the best part -
going from house to house visiting relatives, neighbours and family friends.
And yes… we would still eat at every single house too. 😂
Everywhere you went, there was more food waiting for you…
And usually a little money slipped into your hand as well - my absolute favourite part! 🤑
Honestly?
It was basically the Eid version of trick or treat… except it’s only treats and everybody got treats hahaha.
There were always brand new outfits, new shoes… even new underwears! 😀
The villages would suddenly come alive again.
Relatives you hadn't seen all year - sometimes in years - all returning home at once.
And somehow, despite the house being completely full, everybody still managed to find somewhere to sleep.
Mats everywhere.
Children packed on the floor like sandwiches. 😂
Cousins whispering and giggling long after bedtime.
Honestly? Those were some of the best nights.
I miss the laughter.
The noise.
The warmth.
The smell of food everywhere.
The fight over the charcoal iro! 🤣
…And of course, the childish competition over whose family killed the biggest cow. 🤣😭
Those were truly special times.
And that was only Eid day itself.
The following day, some families would start their own cooking all over again…
Meaning another full day of eating and visiting. 😂
I miss those days immensely right now…
Especially writing this and reliving the memories so vividly.
No matter where you are celebrating from today,
I hope your day is filled with beautiful moments that stay with you forever, just like mine have stayed with me.
Full plates, assorted meats.
Warm hearts and people who make you feel safe, loved and at home.
Love from Zoe 💋