ZASKIA SUNGKAR MOMENTOUS MEMORIES OF THE EID CELEBRATION

Growing up in a diverse cultural family made Zaskia Sungkar exposed to different traditions and customs. The practice that she loved the most in celebrating Eid al-Fitr as a child would be when she went door-to-door (widely known as "Open House") and visited her extended family members. She remembers that she would see her many family members because her parents come from different cultural backgrounds; where her mom is from Padang, West Sumatra, and her dad comes from Solo, Central Java, and it’s customary to pay a visit to them during the holidays.

The sweetest and most memorable moment for Zaskia, especially when she was a child, in celebrating Eid was buying new clothes and dressing up for the celebration day. She was always excited to buy new clothes with her mom, especially when she gave her the freedom to choose her look. Now that she has her own family, the moment continues to be the staple tradition she always does in the future. Because dressing up for the Eid celebration is about being the best version of yourself, boosting your confidence, or being comfortable meeting family members and mingling with a lot of people throughout the special day.

Zaskia grew up savoring her Eid celebration with rich, delectable, multicultural food background from her mother’s Padang heritage and her father’s Solo origin with a dash of flavourful Middle Eastern influence. She remembers the one dish synonymous with the Eid al-Fitr celebration is ketupat, a traditional rice cake wrapped in young coconut leaves and regularly served during the Raya holidays. However, what makes her Eid dish different and delightful these past eleven years is the addition of her husband's specialty, Ketupat Sayur Betawi, from her husband's hometown, Jakarta.

One of the things that Zaskia enjoys doing together with her small family in celebrating Eid is the exciting activity she got to do during the holidays. She treasures playing dress-up with her son as it is such a fun, dynamic activity with a bit of hecticness that makes it a perfect bonding time. Last but not least, the definition of Eid celebration for Zaskia and her family is a precious moment with the special feeling of forgiveness and togetherness to share with all family members.