Reliving Hari Raya Memories: Nostalgic Moments That Bring Us Back
Hari Raya has always been a time of joy, family, and celebration, but over the years, the way I experience it has changed drastically.
From my mischievous childhood antics to teenage heartbreaks, and eventually, the reality of adult life, Hari Raya in Singapore has been a journey filled with nostalgia, laughter, and bittersweet moments.
Looking back, I realise how much things have evolved—from the chaotic gatherings of my youth to the quieter, more reflective celebrations of today.
1990s: The Mischievous Primary School Days
Image by Oh!Media
As a child in the ‘90s, Ramadan felt like an eternity.
Fasting was difficult, especially as a primary school kid who didn’t quite have the discipline yet.
To be honest, I often faked fasting, sneaking bites of the what used to be $1 French fries from the popular brand Tender Fresh. FYI, it cost $2.50 now.
Those golden fries were my guilty pleasure, eaten secretly while pretending I had the willpower to last until sunset.
To pass time, I played a lot of Counter-Strike at a Limbang Shopping centre level 2 or the one at level 1 in between bubble tea store and the bike store.
My nickname was Rollin!!!. Because I was so good at making my enemy’s head rolling on the floor whenever I headshot them with the AWP.
The strategy was simple: keep my mind busy, and the hunger pangs would disappear.
Whether it was in a LAN shop or at home, those pixelated battles were my way of surviving the long hours without food.
I Always Look Forward For 2 Things During Raya
Show me the moneeyyy!!!
But I always looked forward to two things: Duit raya and my late grandma’s legendary Raya dishes.
The moment the aroma of her cooking filled the house, it was an instant wake-up call from my deep sleep.
Her ketupat, rendang, and lontong were unmatched. The scent alone signified that it was finally time for the festivities to begin, making all the hunger and thirst from fasting feel worth it.
And of course, as a kid, collecting duit raya was the highlight—an annual “bonus” that I planned to spend on video games and snacks.
The best part? There was no guilt in celebrating, even though I never really fasted the full month.
I was still a child, and Hari Raya was all about fun, food, and getting spoiled by relatives.
2000s: Teenage Crushes and Raya Adventures
As I entered my teenage years in the 2000s, Hari Raya took on a new meaning—it became a time to impress.
It was the perfect occasion to try and win the heart of my crush.
Every year, I would try to guess what colour baju kurung she would wear, hoping (with no actual plan in mind) that it would somehow lead to a conversation.
But reality hit hard when I found out she already had a boyfriend—one who was cooler, better looking, and definitely had a better sense of style than me.
That didn’t stop me from being my usual attention-seeking, joke-cracking self. I was still the class clown, and Hari Raya visiting was the ultimate playground.
With at least 20 of us going from house to house, things were always loud and chaotic. Sometimes, we spent only five to six minutes in a house before rushing off to the next one, knowing that there were still ten more to visit before dark.
It was also the Nokia era.
The omnipotent..The legend..The Nokia..
Back then, everyone had either a Nokia 3310 or 3315, and we were obsessed with comparing ringtones, comparing phone case designs that have colorful light effects, and showing off our SMS-ing skills.
One of my proudest moments? Flexing my ability to send SMS messages without looking at the screen—a skill that, unfortunately, has become useless in today’s touchscreen era.
Still, no matter how much I tried to act cool, nothing topped the excitement of duit raya and my grandma’s cooking.
Those traditions remained constant, anchoring me to the true essence of the celebration.
2010s: Adulthood and the Slowdown
I really don’t like army life..
Finishing NS and stepping into working life changed the way I experienced Hari Raya. It wasn’t just about collecting duit raya anymore—it was time to start giving it out.
Suddenly, the money I once received with excitement was now leaving my wallet at an alarming rate.
The celebrations also started feeling different. One by one, friends got married and had kids. It became harder to gather everyone like before.
The once chaotic house-hopping sessions turned into smaller, quieter meetups.
Conversations shifted from Nokia ringtones and teenage crushes to job stress, responsibilities, and mortgage payments.
Despite the changes, the essence of Hari Raya remained—family, food, and catching up with loved ones.
But I couldn’t shake the feeling that things weren’t as exciting as they used to be.
2020s: The COVID Raya Experience
Then came 2020, and the world turned upside down.
For the first time, we couldn’t visit each other’s houses. Raya celebrations were reduced to video calls, and honestly, they were far from ideal. Conversations were filled with awkward lagging moments.
I’d be smiling at the screen, waiting for my uncle’s joke, only for him to freeze mid-sentence.
By the time he unfroze and finished his joke, I had already missed the punchline, still smiling out of sync with the conversation.
The absence of physical gatherings made me realise how much we had taken them for granted.
Hari Raya had always been about togetherness, and no amount of technology could replace the warmth of being in the same room as family and friends.
Post-COVID Raya: A New Era
Now that COVID is behind us, Raya celebrations have returned, but the vibe is different.
The older generation, once the heart of our celebrations, is aging and less active.
It feels like a transition is happening, where my generation—and the ones after us—will have to take over and bring back the excitement and fun.
There’s a bittersweet feeling in seeing the once chaotic gatherings grow quieter.
Some faces are missing, and the conversations are different.
But at the same time, there’s a sense of responsibility to keep the spirit of Hari Raya alive for the younger ones, just like how our elders did for us.
Conclusion
Looking back, Hari Raya has been a journey—one filled with mischievous childhood antics, teenage adventures, and the gradual shift into adulthood. While the celebrations have evolved, the essence remains the same: family, food, and togetherness.
As we move forward, it’s up to us to keep the traditions alive, to make sure that the next generation experiences the same excitement we once had. Maybe the celebrations won’t be exactly as they were in the ‘90s or 2000s, but they can still be meaningful in their own way.
After all, Hari Raya isn’t just about nostalgia—it’s about creating new memories for the future.
