Classroom lesson 路 Festival馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt

Eid al-Fitr - the festival of breaking the fast

A bright, sweet celebration at the end of the holy month of Ramadan

Children, sweets and lights from an Eid al-Fitr celebration

Photo 路 Wikimedia Commons

What is it?

Eid al-Fitr is one of the most important festivals in Egypt and across the Muslim world. The name means 'the festival of breaking the fast'. It celebrates the end of Ramadan - a month when many adults choose not to eat or drink during daylight hours.

Tell me more

Eid al-Fitr lasts for three days. It begins with a special morning prayer, often outdoors in big squares where thousands of people gather. Everyone wears their best new clothes - colourful dresses, smart shirts, shiny shoes. Children especially are dressed in their finest, like a brand-new school photo every year.

Then comes the food. Families visit each other's houses, and every house has tables of sweets. Egyptian Eid sweets are famous: little buttery biscuits called kahk dusted with icing sugar, pastries filled with dates, and sweet milk drinks. Children go from house to house and come home with bags of treats.

It is also a time of giving. Adults give children small gifts of money called 'eidiya' - usually a freshly-printed banknote in a bright envelope. Children compare their eidiya at the end of the day to see whose was the biggest. Families also give to people who don't have much, so everyone can celebrate.

In Egyptian streets, the holiday is bright and noisy in the best way. Lanterns called 'fanous' hang in windows. Children play games in squares and parks. The whole country feels like one big family party - and because everyone gets the same days off school, friends can play together for three days in a row.

In the classroom

Walk your class through this in 15 minutes.

Talk together

Discussion prompts

  1. 01What is your favourite celebration of the year? What do people do, eat, wear?
  2. 02Many Egyptian celebrations include giving to people who have less. Why might gift-giving be such a common part of festivals around the world?
  3. 03If a friend came to your country for the first time during a big festival, what would surprise them most?
Try this

Classroom activity

Each pupil designs a 'fanous' lantern out of coloured paper. Hang them along a string above the classroom. As a class, list five festivals from around the world celebrated by pupils' families. Mark them on a calendar so everyone knows when to wish each other well.