MAKKAH: After spending the Eid holiday with families in their hometowns, Saudis working in the private and public sectors returned to the cities and resumed their duties on Tuesday.

Every year, major Saudi cities wear a deserted look during Eid Al-Fitr due to the mass exodus of people who travel to every nook and corner of the Kingdom to spend their holiday with their loved ones.

Like elsewhere around the world, for the second year in a row Saudis had to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr amid strict health measures imposed due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

The first working day after the holiday season is usually tough, but Saudis who returned to their workplaces also reminisced about the good old days of celebrating Eid without any restrictions.

Mohammed Hassan Al-Fifi, an English teacher in Abha whose family lives in the Al-Suhaili neighborhood in Taif, said that most family reunions were virtual this year, as protocols had changed due to the pandemic. He was able to enjoy time with his family back home, however, while following precautionary measures.

“The celebrations are indeed different now, but this is still an annual tradition we all seek to maintain by exchanging gifts, visiting relatives and neighbors, bringing happiness to the elderly while checking on their health, enjoying traditional meals, and reviving the popular games Saudi Arabia is known for,” he said.

Anwar Moulaybar, a health administration specialist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Madinah, said he felt an “indescribable happiness” while visiting his parents in Makkah for Eid.

“Seeing friends, relatives, and neighbors I couldn’t previously see due to the pandemic restrictions was so refreshing,” he told Arab News.

After a year filled with pain, challenges, and sacrifices for health professionals, Moulaybar noted, all the sectors ultimately proved their competence, excellence, and readiness.

“Saudi Arabia has become an iconic example for the whole world,” he said, adding that he was proud to belong to the cadre of health personnel whose lives were at risk daily due to the pandemic.

Despite the struggles that persist, he said, Saudi Arabia has made significant strides in its vaccination campaign. He also remarked on how the pandemic reinforced Saudi society’s connectedness and demonstrated the power of international effort to confront crises collectively.

Student Majid Al-Thaqafi, who recently received his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from a university in Dublin, returned to the Kingdom a few months ago.

He told Arab News that Eid in Saudi Arabia is “unparalleled,” and it is impossible to fully enjoy the holiday away from home.

“This level of warmth and happiness is only found in the Kingdom,” he said, adding that one of the most important aspects of Eid is its power to solidify social bonds.

The occasion also presents an opportunity for forgiveness and a chance to reinforce the values and traditions that Saudis are historically known for, Al-Thaqafi said.

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