9 Simple Ways to Celebrate Ramadan This Year

Decorate with dates

Dates are the number-one staple of Ramadan, across all Muslim cultures. They are what we eat for energy at dawn before a long day of fasting, as well as what we eat to break our fast at sunset.

Consider having dates front and center during Ramadan by shifting dates out of the cardboard box they came in and into golden or silver decorative bowls for the season. Bowls with glass lids or a cloche dome are best to help keep the dates fresh.

Display the festive bowls in your kitchen or on a sideboard. Take it a step further and create a Ramadan vignette by filling bowls of varying heights with nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, and displaying them as a grouping. (At the end of Ramadan, use the dates and nuts in your Eid cooking—you can have your display and eat it, too!)

Light lanterns

Ramadan's core traditions take place at nighttime. Once upon a time, before electricity, people used oil lanterns as their source of light to help them carry out Ramadan's nighttime traditions. Today, you can use battery operated decorative lanterns inside your home—and on your porch—to help give your home a festive Ramadan glow.

Scent your home

A good scented candle makes a home holiday-ready in minutes. Choose a scent that speaks to you and light your candles during the night in Ramadan, particularly during the last 10 nights of Ramadan. If incense is more your thing, you can find plenty of non-headache inducing options for that, too, nowadays—with well-designed incense holders, too: I got this one for Ramadan.

Share iftar with your neighbor

Food is a wonderful way to bring people together—and one of the key ways to celebrate Ramadan is through the iftar (the sunset meal that breaks the fast). When preparing iftar, make a little extra and share a plate with your neighbor. If you're not much of a fan of cooking, you can also consider preparing a bakery box or a food hamper with ready-made finds that speak of Ramadan to you. A little accompanying note explaining what Ramadan is or about the food you're sharing can be a much-appreciated gesture, too.

Wrap gifts

It used to be that handing over cash counted as a sufficient Eid gift. But nowadays, Muslims in America opt for a bit more personalization when it comes to Eid gifting. Thoughtfully curating gifts for our near and dear can be stressful at times but it also has the potential to produce the biggest smiles, especially for kids.

Consider wrapping your Eid gift this year (complete with bow!) or plopping it into an Eid gift bag if you're short on time, and spend a few extra seconds on artfully arranging the tissue paper. You might choose motifs associated with the season, like moons and stars, as part of your Eid gift wrap.

For open-house Eid parties, I like to create a "build-your-Eid-gift" station for kids. I lay out gift bags, tissue paper, ribbon, and a bunch of inexpensive finds that include books, treats, and toys. Kids pick one item from each category and place it in their gift bag. This way, every kid goes home with a gift without me having to worry about collecting RSVPs and confirming a guest list in advance.

Write Eid cards

Eid cards are a great way to celebrate the holiday with family and friends near and far—and they're also a simple way to include Eid in the workplace when gifted amongst coworkers. You can also use Eid cards to express gratitude to community members at your local mosque, such as your imam or child's weekend-school teacher.

If you have elder relatives, I especially suggest writing them an Eid card (in addition to your annual phone or video call on Eid day.) It will take them right back to when letter mail was the norm and help you build meaningful connections across generations, especially if your kids are helping you with the card writing.

Craft with kids

While adults are fasting, kids can sometimes feel bored or left out during Ramadan. Keep kids engaged throughout the month with fun, holiday-themed crafts. Toddlers and elementary-aged kids will love my moonsighting binoculars craft. Make them a day or two before Ramadan is expected to start and see if you can spot the crescent moon that signals the start of the month. Keep your binoculars safe—you'll need them to find the moon for Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan, as well (or for other celestial viewing).

Share generously

Charity and giving are important aspects of Ramadan—and they can be something that your family does together. Your family can choose charities or activities where you can donate your money or your time. Whether you give money to a worthy cause that's dear to your hearts, conduct a food drive, or volunteer with a local organization, it's a great way to give more generously during the season.

Mark every day of Ramadan for kids

Use fill-your-own calendars (or make your own with cute cotton bags or paper boxes) to stash a tiny gift for each day of Ramadan. This will give kids something special to anticipate for each day. (Grownups may appreciate this too!)