Most Muslims, especially those who work as employees, are surely eagerly awaiting their holiday bonus—known as THR—as Eid al-Fitr 1447 H approaches. However, some may not receive a THR for various reasons. Friends, don’t be sad! You can still celebrate Eid with joy even without a THR.
Not having a THR doesn’t mean Eid loses its meaning. We can still celebrate Eid with a happy heart in a simple way. From gathering with family, forgiving one another, to giving thanks for the health and blessings Allah has bestowed upon us.
Celebrate Eid Without a THR
Here’s how to celebrate Eid and stay happy even if you didn’t receive a THR:
1. Set Aside a Little Money from Your Savings
You’re really lucky if you have savings to use for Eid expenses. It’s totally fine to use your savings or emergency fund for Eid, as a substitute for the THR that didn’t make it to you.
Here’s how: list all the Eid essentials you need to buy using your savings. Once the budget is gone, stop and make do with what you have. Try not to dip into your savings again. Most importantly, spend wisely! Only what’s necessary. Don’t go splurging—remember, saving up was hard work!
2. Cut Out Unnecessary Expenses
After weathering various crises, including the pandemic, it seems like Eid these days involves a lot of expenses that don’t feel all that important. One example is new clothes. Besides adding to textile waste, new clothes aren’t essential for celebrating Eid al-Fitr. Just wear the clothes you already have that are still in good condition—the meaning of your Eid won’t diminish even without new clothes!
3. Create a Simple Eid Menu
In previous Eids, the dining table was filled with traditional Eid dishes like opor ayam, rendang, sambal goreng ati, ketupat, and others. To save money, we can simplify the Eid menu.
Just pick one of the traditional Eid dishes—whether it’s chicken opor or rendang. There’s no need to serve everything on the dining table. After all, sometimes we’d rather eat meatballs than rendang, right? Haha. A simpler menu, insha’Allah, won’t diminish the enjoyment of our Eid feast, friends.
4. Don’t Go Into Debt!
In times like these, we must be wise in managing our finances. Don’t let yourself be tempted to go into debt. Having debt in an economy that’s in shambles like it is now can make things even harder for us later on. Hang in there, Friends!
5. Keep Giving Zakat and Sadaqah
Helping others is an obligation, regardless of whatever circumstances we’re facing. Remember, there are still many people out there who aren’t as fortunate as we are. Even if you didn’t receive a year-end bonus this year, you must still pay zakat and give charity.
Well, the easiest way to pay zakat and give charity is to channel the blessings we have through Dompet Dhuafa’s charitable programs. Not only does this make the zakat and charity we give a blessing and more effective, but through Dompet Dhuafa, the reach and beneficiaries of your charitable contributions will also be broader. Remember, zakat and charity purify your wealth and, insha’Allah, multiply it!
6. Turn Eid into a Business Opportunity
During Eid, people’s purchasing power usually increases. This can motivate us to look for business opportunities we can take advantage of.
Try looking around you—what do people need? And what can you do to meet those needs?The proceeds from such a business can be used to cover Eid expenses. Let’s strengthen our bonds and open channels of communication with loved ones and those we haven’t seen in a while—who knows, this might lead to new doors of provision opening up.So, can we celebrate Eid even without a THR? The key is to remain grateful for the blessings Allah SWT has bestowed upon us up to this day. Remember, blessings from Allah aren’t limited to a THR. So, even without a THR, our Eid should still be filled with joy. (Dompet Dhuafa/RQA)
