Hari raya aidilfitri
In Malaysia, Hari Raya Aidilfitri is not just celebrated for one day. For the whole month, we have "Rumah Terbuka" which means Open House.The most special thing about it is that everyone is invited. It doesn’t matter if you are Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, or Kadazan. If you are my neighbor, my friend, or even a stranger, you can come to my house to eat. Here are 4 things that make it uniquely Malaysian:) 1. The Food: We must have lemang, ketupat, rendang, kuih lapis, and pineapple tarts. My mom and aunties will cook for 2 days straight. The smell of rendang cooking for 4 hours is how I know Raya is here. 2. The Clothes: Everyone wears traditional clothes. Malays wear Baju Kurung and Baju Melayu. Whole families wear matching colors. It’s so fun to see everyone dressed up. 3. Salam and Duit Raya: Kids will "salam" the elders by kissing their hands to ask for forgiveness. After that, we get "duit raya" - money in a small green or red envelope. This is the part every kid looks forward to 4. The Spirit: The door is always open. You don’t need a formal invitation. This shows our value of Muhibbah - living in harmony with different races and religions.
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