'Duit Raya', the wonderful thing of raya. BTW, to the non-Malaysians out there, Duit Raya is the gift to children (usually) in the form of cash (not big amount, mind you) during Hari Raya (I'll explain that some other time, I think you would have realised that it is some form of a celebration).



This year, all my 3 kids got duit raya, from nearly everyone. Some points I've made mental notes of regarding this;



1. They like the wrapper/envelope more than the content, until they are 5 years or older.



2. Whenever I gave duit raya to other people's kids, my own kids expect me to give them again. Had to reeducate them on this, though my 4 year old who has not concept of past and future disagreed with me.



3. It's better for you to keep their duit raya for them as otherwise, you'll be the insurance company in case they lose it. Somehow, they've made the agreement with you (bought the insurance policy).



4. It's better if you let them keep their duit raya, otherwise their total amount is always more than whatever it is you've got (even when you definitely did not touch the money). Though you have to consider this with point 3 above.



5. Whenever they want to buy something, they will 'use' their duit raya, but whenever you've bought them THE something, you've used your own money.



6. Their duit raya is magical, it will never run-out and mind you, it can buy anything & that is anything at all, a yoyo, a candy, an ice-cream, a skateboard, roller blades, a doll, a bicycle, a house, a speedboat, a space shuttle, the ocean, the moon, the sun.... got the idea.

Raya is over. For this year that is. However, the mood is still in the air. I was at a friend's place yesterday when a group of 3 kids came over to 'beraya'. A surprise for me as this only happens on the 1st day of Raya where I come from. 2nd and 3rd raya maybe but definitely not on the 15th 'raya'. But then again, it's better than hanging around doing nothing for the kids and it definitely makes economic sense for them. Where and when else can you just go around the the neighbourhood and get fed some cookies and 'sirap' for nothing and to top it up, some crispy RM as well. And if you are lucky, you might even get the unbreakable, state of the art, polymer note. BTW, it was such a big thing for my dad until I told him that Australia has had all her notes in polymer for decades, not to mention our neighbour, the Philippines (I think so - one of those countries I visited a few months back).



Back to the kids and 'beraya'. My kids had a great raya this year. After years being in a foreign land where raya is unknown to 99% (at least that's how it seems) of the populations & never having received 'duit raya' before, this year is definitely a 'raya' to remember. Though after the second day, my 4 year old started to decline 'duit raya' - 'I have enough' especially if the envelope looks the same. The 'task' that he has to do to qualify him for the 'duit raya' must be unbearable by then, 'salam' and saying the magic words. Too much for a 4 year old after 2 days and all you get for it is the same old envelope with 'duit' inside - whatever it is for. Never need it anyway.