Time out with Shopper Mama's Special Guest - My Raya Blues!

Hi! It is me again! This time I was asked to share my Raya experience – both before and after marriage, since my wife, Shopaholic Mama, is busy with her sale entry!

Before Marriage

As my parents have passed away, we have very few visitors. Raya is basically a two-day affair. During the first day, the whole family will visit our uncles and aunties. The second day will be spent at my brothers and/or sisters houses. Occasionally we got relatives, friends and neighbors visiting and we will reciprocate those visits. As years go by, we have less uncles and aunties to visit.

After Marriage

I was warned that Raya is actually a full one-month celebration and be prepared for some surprises along the way. So here I am sharing with you my experience.

• Raya@in-laws starts after Solat Adilfitri followed by makan berdamai. The children are then required to queue to receive their “collections” as seen in the photo below. Then it is time for photo sessions. This session will take more than 2 hours with individual family portraits, group, male siblings, female siblings, male cousins, female cousins and maids.  Sometime you feel like a movie star from SINGAWOOD.
  
  
  
  

• Before leaving the house, I was given a timetable containing the list of about 20 houses to visit the next day. This is about twice the number of houses that I normally visit during the entire Raya before marriage! The list includes addresses, arrival/departure time and passengers in the car - yes I am required to drive the whole day.

• On the 2^nd day, at about 9am, we are already at the first house. 30 minutes later, one of the in-laws will start singing a jingle. Initially I thought that they are in Raya mood but singing the wrong jingle. Later I was told that the jingle was actually a coded message that it is time to leave. What an idea!  Soon I began to master the jingle as each of us will take turns to sing it once we deem it fit to leave.

• During this journey, we normally cover more than 100km in one day. Before proceeding to some of the houses, they will call the owners in advance. This is due to the fact that we normally move in convoy of 6 cars with about 35 people. The call is to prevent the owners from getting heart attack when they see the troop.

• Just for your info, the driver of the vehicle is responsible for all the passengers even outside the car, military-styled. In the event of an MIA (missing-in-action) due to too much talking with house owners, stomach problem due to too much food/drink or going to the wrong car etc., driver will be held responsible.

• During the calls, besides informing in advance, the caller will also be given the breakdown between adults and children. I learned later that this is to indirectly tell the owners how many “angpows” to prepare! Brilliant idea!

• At some houses the leader will accept the “angpows” on behalf of the children. This happens when the owners panicked when seeing so many children. And actual distribution will be carried out immediately at the lift lobby to prevent miscalculations. Leader has to make good any shortages.

• At times during the visits, owners may be occupied with other guests. While waiting, I noticed that the female siblings, my wife included, would start a mini conference of their own. They talked as it they have not met for ten years. At times, these conferences are livelier and more colorful than the Malaysian Parliament.

• As you may imagine, at times the plan may go wrong. Owners may be occupied and some insist that we wait while they cook etc. Here the leader will activate Plan B in order to save some time. For the less important houses, it will be touch-n-go sessions – sit, drink, jingle, collection and salaam.

• The entire journey normally ends at midnight. The children will be tired and those still awake will start comparing their collections!

• The visiting will continue every weekend without fail. Either it is open house or normal visits, it seems that they have relatives in almost every estates & corners in Singapore. And at times, we will still continue with the visiting even after Syawal so as to complete the eco-system.

• One fine year, I was required to work in Europe for two weeks during Raya period. I arrived during a cold winter Germany alone and wondering how my family will survive when their driver/commander is not available. Whilst alone for that two weeks in a cold winter, I realized that I missed the fun and Raya blues set in.

That’s it – Here's Wishing you Selamat Hari Raya from our family