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By Nawara Fattahova
this year is completely different from any other Ramadan ever. The most important habit of gathering was banned in this year's holy month. Taraweeh and qiyam prayers in mosques are not possible this year, and even group iftar and suhour in mosques around Kuwait are not happening due to the closure of mosques.
All other social activities usually practiced in Ramadan are not happening this year. Ghabqa, the most popular event which took place in houses, hotels, and diwaniyas, was when people would gather to meet those they probably didn't see for the whole year. Even the Ramadan visits of diwaniyas are not taking place this year. Furthermore, children will not celebrate the popular Girgian, in which they used to collect sweets by knocking on doors and singing.
As this Ramadan is passing sadly and has a theme of isolation, Eid Al-Fitr will be welcomed in a similar depressive manner. The public holiday is officially till the end of the month, which is after Eid. And it doesn't seem that the situation will change soon, or that malls or stores will open soon, so Eid shopping for new outfits will also not take place this year.
At the end, what's the sense of buying new outfits if there is no place to go - no restaurants, no malls, no travelling, no family visits, no entertainment, or any other place to go to. All the days are the same - the joy of the holiday has lost its value, as all days are holidays.
Maybe some people will decide to visit their families on Eid, as it's been a very long period of isolation, and we all feel bored and annoyed with home imprisonment. So we should search for online stores to buy outfits for Eid. Some cheap and expensive brand stores have improved their services to be up to date with the present situation, and they continue to sell online to somehow compensate their losses from the long closure of shopping malls. Some even offer free delivery.
Social media accounts, especially on Instagram, are selling collections, but some are facing difficulties in receiving new stocks, as trade with China, from where most of their goods are imported, has been stopped for over three months.
People have different choices for their online shopping, but the disadvantage of this shopping is that they don't see the item physically, so they may find it different after delivery than what was shown on the screen. Also the size may not fit exactly as they want. Big stores and well-known websites have the option to exchange, and some even offer refunds, but some smaller Instagram accounts do not have this option.
