The Qerqaia’an of Ramadan 2014
One of the things many people prepare for, sometimes months in advance, is the celebration of Qerqaia’an and its giveaways. Qerqaia’an is an occasion that falls on the nights of 13, 14, and 15 of Ramadan where children would go from house to house dressed in colourful traditional clothes singing away while collecting candy from the houses they sing for. Also, families tend to send out sweets and nuts for loved ones in dazzling wrapping, the funkier the better, to celebrate the occasion in the name of their little children especially new born babies to the families. I personally look forward to that time of year and prepare candy in anticipation of the neighbourhood children passing by. I also put up a sign on the door stating that we do indeed have qerqaia’an ready and to go ahead and ring the doorbell.
Every year people are beginning to celebrate Qerqaia’an earlier and earlier and the celebration usually starts half an hour after iftar time which falls at sunset. The amount of passing children vary from one neighbourhood and area to another but we do get a few knocks of eager screaming children. This year I was especially blown away by surprise when one group of children who actually knocked screaming “Danderma Danderma”! Which was quite funny really! I asked them to sing and told them I will take a video of them singing while I distribute the candy, you can get an idea
So cute, no? Those are my neighbour’s kids whom I’ve seen before riding a carriage for a birthday, I posted about the carriage and the kids came back screaming Danderma I’m not sure if I’ve posted about them before or not? I should have! Anyways, welcome dear neighbours kids, please return back for every qerqaia’a, you made me truly happy!
Now this year let me show you the qerqaia’an I got, both from friends and/or well-wishing businesses around Kuwait. Lets starts with friends, the lovely Swera delivered baby Jojo’s qerqaia’an right to my couch where I was laying, dazed and hungry, one Ramadan afternoon, wrapped up in my comfy blanket and fighting the urge to sleep until iftar time.
Cute baby Jana was smiling in the card attached to the qerqaia’an box, wearing a traditional qerqaia’an dress herself. I loved how simple and to the point the qerqaia’an was, it can sometime get out of hand trying to impress people but I always care more about the chocolate of the qerqaia’an that I devour during my post-iftar tea time rather than the overall look and Swera’s qerqaia’an chocolates hit the spot just right.
Another gorgeous qerqaia’an I got was from the lovely Jumana for baby yousef’s qerqaia’n! Again simple and to the point with a great selection of chocolates plus one surprising twist: a kinder chocolate box with a sticker of Baby Yousef’s face on it! How innovative! I loved this qerqaia’an idea
Our fellow blogger Nafnoof who happens to be also the owner of Tiny’s Nail Spa sent over a jar of sugar coated almonds. We call them “Baith el Sa’aw” as in the eggs of a bird called Sa’aw and those that came with Tiny’s qerqaia’an were especially delicious! Yum! Thank you Nafnoof!
Costa Coffee of Kuwait sent over quite an interesting qerqaia’an themselves! A bag with a long cylinder, a cord with a pull me tag, and instructions on how to turn that cylinder filled with chocolates into a lamp complete with a miniature electric candle glowing green.
Very different indeed! Thank you Costa!
The diet centre also sent over a qerqaia’an gift of a pillow, topped by a round tin, and a wrapped book with a wooden spoon attached to it.
Inside the tin was a collection of healthy and low calorie Ramadan desserts plus dried fruits. The book was a healthy Ramadan cookbook by chef Hanouf Al-Balahn and cook Fawaz Al-Omaim which is very useful in case you were out of ideas for iftar or suhoor meals. Also, the beautiful pictures in the book were shot by our fellow blogger the artistic Journey Kitchen. A job well done Kulsum dear, keep up the good work! Thank you Diet Centre.
Last but not least was the Smartwood Furniture Factory qerqaia’an. Last year their qerqaia’n was a teeny wardrobe that was incredibly cute and perfectly manufactured. This year their qerqaia’an is a sleek wooden tray filled with quirky items from a time long past by Smartwood Furniture Factory! Very funky yet quite useful. Last year their qerqaia’an was a mini wardrobe.
Inside the tray was an old Kuwaiti lantern (sraay), a black abaya (cloak), a loofa with a black pumice stone, a jar of a favourite old-times sweet of mine called Barmait, a small tea pot, with kohl, the magic lipstick, henna powder, and dairam sticks. Thank you very much Smartwood!
And with this we conclude the qerqaia’an of Ramadan 2014! I’m going to miss the happy spirit of qerqaia’an! Thanks to everyone who remembered me this year, wishing you many happy returns
