Hari Raya, Bayram or Eid: what each country calls it

Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is the big one in Malaysia and Singapore, and the celebration does not stop after a day or two: families hold open houses through the following month of Syawal, so a single outfit is rarely enough. Women traditionally wear the baju kurung, a long tunic over a long skirt, and many families choose matching colours for the whole household. In Indonesia the same holiday is usually called Lebaran, or Idul Fitri, and Eid al-Adha is Iduladha.

Our Malaysia and Singapore pages explain how ordering works from there, for anyone who would like a shalwar kameez alongside the baju kurung.

Pakistan and the rest of South Asia

In Pakistan, Eid ul Fitr is often called Meethi Eid, the sweet Eid, after the sheer khurma and vermicelli served that morning, or Choti Eid, the small Eid. Eid ul Adha is Bari Eid, the big Eid, or Bakra Eid, from bakra, a goat. In India you will also hear Bakrid. The night before Eid ul Fitr is Chand Raat, the night of the moon, when markets stay open late for bangles and henna.

New clothes are part of the day. For Meethi Eid that usually means a bright shalwar kameez in lawn or cotton silk, often with some embroidery; for Bari Eid something festive but practical, since the day is busy. Our ideas for Eid ul Fitr, Eid ul Adha and Chand Raat go into the outfits.

Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands and France

Turkish has its own pair of names, and they travelled with Turkish families into German and Dutch, which is why you see these words on school letters and supermarket displays across Europe.

• Turkey: Ramazan Bayramı, also called Şeker Bayramı, the sugar festival, and Kurban Bayramı, the festival of sacrifice. New clothes bought for the holiday are called bayramlık, and the usual greeting is İyi bayramlar.
• Germany and Austria: Zuckerfest, a translation of the Turkish sugar festival, and Opferfest for Eid al-Adha. The Germany page covers ordering from there.
• The Netherlands and Belgium: Suikerfeest and Offerfeest, the Dutch versions of the same two names.
• France: Aïd el-Fitr, and very often Aïd el-Kébir, the big Eid, for Eid al-Adha.
• The Balkans: Bajram, as in Ramazanski bajram and Kurban bajram.

Why the dates differ, and ordering ahead

Every one of these festivals follows the lunar calendar, so it moves about eleven days earlier each year, and the exact day depends on the moon sighting announced locally. Malaysia, Turkey, the UK and Pakistan can therefore celebrate a day apart.

If you want something made for the day, plan from the earliest likely date. Making takes 5 to 7 working days from the approval and full payment of your quote, plus shipping. Our Eid occasion page has ideas, custom stitching explains the service, and you can request a quote as soon as you know what you would like.