As you all already know, I love Ramadan and everything it symbolizes. It is a time of charity, hospitality, generosity, spiritual growth, and of course, fasting. Muslims fast on every day of Ramadan from sunrise to sunset in hopes that experiencing a little discomfort in our bodies will lead us to focus more on our spiritual world and relationship with Allah. We then break this fast in the evening with a meal called iftar. It is on this meal of iftar that I want to focus in this post.
Iftar is used as a celebration and a time to be with family and friends as we come together to eat and visit after a day of fasting. It is also a time to remember the less fortunate among us, and sharing food is a very common way to do this. In fact, sharing food is one of the key traditions of Ramadan and iftar. It is such a good way to meet one’s neighbours and foster a sense of community where you live, with other Muslims and non-Muslims alike!
An Iftar Gift Box for Neighbours
So today I am sharing an iftar grazing box idea, complete with a free printable gift tag that you can use to explain to your non-Muslim neighbours and friends the full significance of your iftar gift box. I purchased the cardboard boxes on amazon, linked here. I also used condiment cups to hold some nuts and chocolate. I’m also including a suggested list of grazing foods to include in your box:
- Cheese (I included Boursin cheese in two different flavours)
- Crackers or Sliced baguette
- Jam/Jelly (I included a hot pepper jelly)
- Strawberries or other berries
- Sliced Oranges
- Grapes
- Nuts
- Yogurt covered raisins/pretzels/nuts
- Dried Fruit
- Chocolate
- Olives
Maybe you are a non-Muslim person who found this post because you were curious about the holiday your Muslim friends and neighbours are celebrating. If you love this idea of sharing food with the community, I encourage you to present your Muslim neighbours with this iftar gift box! Please note that to be truly enjoyed, all items included need to be halal, meaning, permissible. No alcohol, pork, or gelatin products please. The list I have created here is halal, so you can’t go wrong by copying it!
Next, to add a personal touch, I created these little tags and have linked them below for you to download for FREE. I printed them on cardstock at my nearest stationery store and included them with the little iftar gift box.
Happy Ramadan, everyone! I hope this brings you inspiration for your own celebrations. I’d love to see how you’re celebrating! Tag me on Instagram @mintcandydesigns
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JazakAllah such a great idea for ramadan boxes. Areeba do give us some ideas for Eid gifts as well. Plus i messaged you couple of times on insta. Do check your inbox often please. Thanks