After the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims worldwide anticipate another cherished month every year, which is Syawal or Hari Raya. It is another blessed month—awarding Muslims worldwide for successfully finishing one month of fasting. For most, celebrating happily with loved ones can be in various forms, including returning to their hometown, meeting with long-distance family and beloved friends, having open houses, jalan-jalan Raya for a month, and many more!
As we appreciate this festive season that brings our family together, making it more productive with activities can also be the perfect time to create a stronger bond and a close-knit relationship. Not only that, it will also ensure a healthier you and your family.
Moreover, after a month of reduced participation in rigorous activities and exercise, this highlights the best time to gear up the momentum to get back into an exercise routine we have long postponed since before Ramadan. Let’s cherish this moment of celebration with a much healthier approach through active festivities, which can be a medium to create a more meaningful and memorable Hari Raya.
1. Be a helping hand
Extending a helping hand during the festivities, whether during the night before Raya, upon guests’ arrival, or after the open house, significantly supports the family. Be it tidying the living room, sprucing up the garden, cleaning the yard, setting the dining table, or keeping an eye on the lemang, rendang, and dodol, these all contribute to a smoother Hari Raya preparation. There are always some errands to keep your body moving and active. So, explore around and find your own way to be a helping hand. These acts of kindness might also land you some extra duit raya, completely unexpectedly!
2. Play an active game
It is the time of year when all family members gather on such a joyous occasion. Thus, what stops you from adding excitement through fun games to enjoy with your family? You may play dance video games, charades, and hopscotch. You can also plan small team-building activities such as sack races, bola ping pong dalam sudu, isi air dalam botol menggunakan span, and many more! To spice things up, make it more competitive by rewarding the winning team with extra duit raya.
3. Plan for outdoor group activities/ hobbies
For those who love to play sports like badminton and cycling or have hobbies like fishing, don’t forget to bring the necessary equipment back to your hometown. Sufficient sports equipment can ensure a higher chance of practicing group sports with those interested in playing sports! Be it experts or amateurs, unleashing that sportsmanship with the family members can surely support an active Hari Raya with more productive events, creating greater bonds.
4. Count your steps
Enhancing your step count is the easiest way to ensure a productive and active Raya season! Take advantage of tracking your steps, especially during this festive season when there are many open houses to attend, thus encouraging more steps to be achieved. Furthermore, you can make your evening in your hometown more fulfilling by walking briskly around the neighborhood, enjoying the fresh evening air, or visiting nearby orchards or gardens. Make your steps count more rewarding this Raya by tracking it with the BookDoc app here and claim interesting prizes.
There are many fun and interesting ways to celebrate this festive season, right? Celebrating our Hari Raya with enjoyment is not limited to the interesting food you can indulge in but also by aiming for a more productive lifestyle to enhance a healthier approach to Hari Raya with your loved one this year. Start by slowly gearing up your fitness through step counts, aiming for higher numbers to symbolize a month full of celebration and abundance for our health, too! Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri from BookDoc to all of you. Maaf Zahir dan Batin!
Amirah, Dietitian
