Saturday 20 / April / 2024
Muscat: Both Omanis and residents celebrated Eid Al Fitr and enjoyed the holidays across the Sultanate.
Regarding his holiday, Abdallah, an Omani driver from Ibra, said, “It has been great. Thankfully this year, the holidays were announced early so I had a chance to plan ahead and make sure my family and I had the maximum amount of fun.”
Adding to the enjoyment for many were the opening matches of the FIFA World Cup, with large numbers of supporters watching at cafes and equal numbers of families cheering their teams at home.
“For me it’s a win-win,” explained one fan. “Not only do I get to relax because of the Eid holidays, I can also spend more time with my friends watching football and hanging out.”
Many Omanis celebrated with their families, slaughtering goats, camels, and cows to prepare traditional meals, such as ‘shuwa’ and ‘arsea’, to share with their guests. In the Governorate of North Al Batinah, 7,234 animals were slaughtered between June 12th and June 15th. On the second day of Eid, an additional 1033 animals were slaughtered, including 468 sheep, 534 goats, and 31 cows.
Three of Oman’s most popular attractions welcomed visitors, including the Nizwa Fort, Muttrah Fort, and the National Museum.
However, foremost in the minds of residents was the quality time they enjoyed with their loved ones.
Khadija, a mother of four summed it up best, noting, “For me, that is what Eid is all about: being able to sit with my children, laugh with them, and watch as the gifts I share with them light up their day.”
