Celebrating Kuwait National and Liberation Day During a Pandemic
A multitude of factors could make Kuwait National and Liberation days (25th and 26th of February) a “perfect storm” of surge in new Covid-19 infections in the country, especially if some areas continue opening, individuals are careless about safety guidelines, and some opt to travel.
However, it doesn’t have to be that way, we need to be vigilant with what we choose to do, during such times, which means celebrations will look a little different this year. There are many alternatives to the usual traditional events such as festivals and parades. Below are a few activities to celebrate Kuwait and express patriotism in the comfort of your own home.
Decorate your house:
Add black, green and red decorations to symbolize the Kuwaiti flag to the exterior of your home. You may also switch off your couch pillows, table liners, napkins to the patriotic color combinations.
Stream a firework show:
It’s possible to celebrate the holidays with a firework show, but you have to get a little creative. If you have a roomy backyard, set up a screen to stream any firework show online that celebrates Kuwait. This activity works well for a movie night with the family. I recommend watching Hala Kuwait 2020, a video album about Kuwait’s historic events including our liberation in the Gulf War 1990.
Dress up in traditional clothing:
Dressing up always lifts everyone’s spirits, so for little boys dress them up in dishdashas with a patriotically designed vest and for little girls dress them up with a black thoub with gold embroidery (found in Souq AlMubarakiya). If you have a tight budget, I recommend dressing them in regular clothes with the patriotic color combination.
Create an All-Kuwaiti food menu:
I recommend cooking lentil soup for an appetizer, chicken/meat machboos for the main meal and luqaymat for dessert served with Arabic coffee. If you don’t feel like cooking Sakbah restaurant makes great traditional dishes and are very budget friendly. You can also have Kuwaiti music playing in the background as you enjoy your meal.
Turn your backyard into a fun campsite:
Enjoy a fun night under the stars with your little kiddos and set up a tent with a fire pit and spend the night outdoors.
Baking and decorating a cake:
If you are like me and not a very talented baker, Betty Crocker offers a wide range of cake mixes. After mixing all the ingredients together just pop it into the oven and just add a few decorative toppings with the patriotic color combination, such as icing, gummy bears, sprinkles and mini flags.
Make artwork:
Have your kids print their hand with paint on scratch paper and let them have fun decorating their artwork with black, red and green. They can even use the paint to draw small fireworks around their hand print.
As we approach a second wave of coronavirus cases in this country, it’s important to keep in mind that your health and safety are not to be taken lightly. Remember this too shall pass and I wish everyone happy and safe holidays.