How to make the most of Eid holidays in summer

Eid Al Adha is coming and it’s bringing its usual mix of family, food and that unmistakable smell of grills firing up across the neighbourhood.
This year it’s also bringing something else: Summer. And not the gentle, breezy kind. The kind where the air feels like a hair dryer set to high.
So how do you celebrate Eid when the sun is basically daring you to step outside? With a little planning, a lot of shade and the right mindset, you can have a holiday that’s festive, restful and only mildly sweaty.
The trick is to shift everything to the cooler hours. Forget midday gatherings unless you want your kebab to cook on the driveway before it hits the grill. Mornings before 9 am and evenings after 7 pm are your golden windows.
That’s when the light is soft, the breeze is real and kids can run around without turning into tomatoes. Plan your majlis visits, gift exchanges and quick catch-ups with relatives for these times. If you must meet during the day, keep it short, air-conditioned and indoors. Nobody will judge you for keeping Eid greetings to ten minutes if it means avoiding heatstroke.
Water should be your constant companion. Treat it like your phone — you don’t leave home without it. Set up a little hydration station at home too, with mint, lemon, or cucumber to make it feel festive rather than like medicine. For the kids, freeze juice into popsicles. It’s Eid, it’s hot and it’s the one day they can have dessert before lunch without a lecture.
This is also the perfect excuse to lean into indoor traditions. Get everyone together for a board game tournament, a movie marathon with Eid-themed snacks, or a cooking session where the younger cousins learn to make your family’s signature dish. If you have a projector, take it outside after sunset, hang a white sheet, dim the lights and you’ve got an instant outdoor cinema without the 2 pm sun trying to roast you.
When it comes to food, keep things smart rather than heavy. Yes, Eid means meat, but in forty-degree weather, oily, heavy meals will knock you out faster than the heat. Balance the dishes with lots of salads, yoghurt and cold soups.
Giving back doesn’t have to mean standing in the sun either. Organise your charity drop-offs, meat distribution, or visits to family in the early morning or evening. It’s easier on you and it’s kinder to the people receiving help. If you’re donating, think about items that actually help in summer alongside the usual.
And don’t forget to take thirty minutes just for yourself. Between family visits and social obligations, Eid can get hectic. Sit in the AC, drink tea and scroll through nothing important. Eid is about gratitude and it’s hard to feel grateful when you’re exhausted and sunburnt.
Eid Mubarak. May yours be cool, kind and full of good company.