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Eid
The Muslim year has two religious festivals: Eid al
Fitr, the festival of breaking the fast, which
celebrates the end of Ramadan on the first day of
Shawwal, the 10th month. Eid al Adha, a festival held on the 10th day of Dhu al Hijjah, the
12th, or pilgrimage, month is a religious Feast of
Sacrifice holiday after Hajj- the pilgrimage to Mecca.
There is usually a four-day holiday. The first day of
the holiday is to observe the last of the Hajj, while
the next three days are in celebration of the Eid during
which Kuwaitis put on their best clothes and visit,
congratulate, and bestow gifts on each other.
Eid al
Fitr is celebrated more festively because it marks the
end of Ramadan. Children receive "Eidiah," money given
as a present during the Eid, from older relatives. For Eid
Al-Fitr, there is usually a three-day holiday. The
holiday is also occasioned by slaughtering a lamb and
holding a great feast, and it is common for the men to
perform the traditional sword dance (ardha).
Hala February
The Hala February festival is an annual event that
takes place in Kuwait during the spring season. It is a
time when parched sands of the desert transform into a
magical green carpet covered with blossoming, colourful
flora. The arrival of migratory birds and seasonal
animals during this time adds further colour, elegance
and beauty to the desert. Springtime is the tourists'
season in Kuwait when visitors are especially welcomed
for a month long celebrations of a cultural and
entertainment extravaganza in response to popular demand
for tourism and local populace.
Hala
Festival is a great opportunity for young and old alike
to participate in this kaleidoscope of events featuring
cultural festivals, shopping carnivals, visit tourist
spots, and win prizes at the many raffles and contests
held during the time period.
Liberation Day
Liberation Day (February 26) celebrates the
liberation of Kuwait by a multi-national force from
seven months of traumatic Iraqi occupation on February
26, 1991. Each year the day is marked with public
gatherings and get-togethers. However, the day is also
tinged with sadness as Kuwait remembers and honors the
martyrs who lost their lives fighting Iraqi oppression
and the 605 Prisoners of War still held captive in Iraqi
jails.
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