Pictures of Raya 2014

First batch to arrive from Shamseila,
Fredrick Gan, Hanafi & Emilia's kids.

Despite being away from home during both Raya aka eid celebrations this year, we still managed to cultivate the spirit here in Sydney.

1. Kad Raya Campaign - Reviving a dying practice
When we were children, it was common practice to send raya greetings to friends and family with a kad raya. This practice is slowly dying with the progress of technology. We have resorted to sending greetings via text messages, whatsapp, Facebook and sometimes electronic cards. Upon realising we would not be back for Raya this year, I started a Kad Raya campaign and encouraged my friends to send me kad raya via snail mail. 

I am pleased to say that my friends did not disappoint and the cards started arriving two weeks before Raya day. I looked forward to each day, wondering how many cards would arrive in the mail. The post lady who delivers to our building must have been surprised at the sudden surge of snail mail as it is normally bills that end up in our mailbox. Hahaha.

Second batch from Prem, Hilda, Roselynda and Adznul.

Third batch all the way from Netherlands - Zarinah.

Fourth batch from Firdaus (Tos), Wita, Debbie & The Steiners and Angie.

Fifth batch contains my first ever surat raya from Sukesh and family in NZ.
Sixth batch was a card from Fairuz and a postcard from Shana.

Seventh batch were from Noreen and Nurul.
Eigth and final batch from Paul Gan (2 cards) and Shima.

Not only the kad raya(s) were coming, we also received pleasant surprises in the form of instant food packets. Yay! Raya fare without having to sweat it out.

First to arrive from Nurul. Teh Tarik in the house!! 

Followed by ketupat palas and lemang from PERTH! Thanks Azlin & Luke!

Raya food galore continues after raya due to miscommunication. Thanks KA!

2. Raya Eve - Planting for the future
While families at home were slogging to prepare traditional food normally eaten on Raya day, Mr H and I spent our raya eve planting trees for the future. 

Out of focus pic of us with one of the many shrubs we planted.

Hope green gloves will help them survive as my fingers are not exactly green.

With others who choose to participate in this tree planting campaign.

3. Raya Day

It was a quite and lazy morning, total opposite from the hustle and bustle of home. In fact, Mr H was even scheduled in to replace his colleague at work for a few hours. Nevertheless, we made the best of this day - morning prayers followed by breakfast at Ikea :p. Later on that night, we had a Raya pot luck gathering with another couple who celebrates along with their friends.

Raya prayers held in a sports hall since the association's existing mosque could not cater to the big numbers that turned up.

A non-typical raya breakfast for us from Ikea.

Nasi impit & beef rendang for lunch.

4. Not exactly a short Raya
Raya celebrations at home would carry on for the next 30 days. In Sydney, it is just a one day affair. However I was quite pleased to stretch celebrations here for longer than a day by

• cooking raya fare several times more over the next few weeks (since I could not buy the ingredients in small amounts. Might as well utilise them instead of throwing away)
• attend Australian Malaysian Singaporean Association's Raya/Merdeka celebrations
• gathered the girls for another round of Raya/Merdeka pot luck dinner.

Still eating raya food on Day 5

AMSA's Raya & Merdeka celebrations

5. Aidil Adha aka Raya Haji
Raya Haji is a thanksgiving celebration and is celebrated on a smaller* scale compared to Aidil Fitri (unless you are from Kelantan or Terengganu). We still did not let the day go unnoticed and had a fusion raya lunch to mark this celebration.

Fusion Raya Lunch: Lemang, kuah kacang & roast chicken.

*smaller as in it is not common to send out greeting cards or go shopping for new clothes etc.


Looking back at these pictures, I would say we did quite well for ourselves. Despite missing the familiarity of our yearly celebrations, I will always have fond memories of my different Raya 2014.