Well, with all that spending, one must not forget to allocate a certain amount for the duit raya giveaway!

Let’s face facts; growing up, one of the best parts about Hari Raya Aidilfitri is the duit raya! The main tradition that is the act of salam (a handshake with both hands) and seeking forgiveness in a kneeling position by the younger ones to the older figures could get very sentimental.

This is usually performed only with the closed ones. In a more casual setting, it is sufficient to salam and extend well wishes to the other party.

The incorporation of the duit raya giveaway to the children after they have done their part to salam is one of those times when they have a firsthand experience on how to practice good values.

In a big group, they would have to queue for their turn. They are also taught to receive with the right hand and say thank you. Therefore, in a way, this practice certainly does teach the young ones about customs, manners and the concept of respecting the elderlies.

It has been said time and again but we’re going to state it one more time because it is worth mentioning – the focus of giving duit raya is not the amount of money one gives/gets but rather, it is how this practice adds merriment to the occasion.

Now that we’re on our way to being the one on the giving end, we figured that it is possible to carry out the duit raya giveaway session with a fun twist while still maintaining the tradition! Check out our suggestions and perhaps, try it out yourself!

#1 The Bonanza

• First, you’ll have to set a minimum and maximum amount you intend to give.
• Once you have that figured out, put the respective amount of money in identical money envelopes.
• With that, you may have 10 envelopes for your nieces and nephews of which nine are filled with RM10 but there’s one with RM50!
• Make the announcement of the possibility that awaits them, get them to queue, salam as usual and ask them to choose whichever envelope they want for themselves. The room will be buzzing!
• It is also best to reiterate that this is all in the spirit of fun and games. At the end of the day, no one should have to feel bad.

#2 The Goodie Bag

• From candies to key chains to fancy erasers – the possibilities are endless!
• Just fill the money envelope with the amount of money you’d like to give and the small souvenir in the same envelope as well.
• For those kids who are a bit older, you can also enclose some gift vouchers. Imagine opening a money envelope to find that there’s not just duit raya in it but also gift vouchers to the cinema! Niceee!

#3 The Lucky Draw

• First off, you will have to prepare the duit raya in transparent plastics – the rationale behind the transparent plastic instead of the usual opaque money envelope is to allow the recipients to see what’s in store, thus getting the excitement rolling!
• The amount of money should differ from one plastic to another – say, RM3, RM5, RM10, RM15, and RM20; whatever you are comfortable with, really.
• Staple them in random order on a mounting board or anything of that sort so that the whole piece can be displayed later during the event.
• You will also have to prepare another set of paper with a number on them that matches the ones on the plastic. Roll them so that the numbers are not exposed. Keep them all in a jar.
• Every recipient will have to draw a number from the said jar.
• To spice things up a little, one must finish their kuih raya first to be eligible to draw the number.
• From then on, it’s about what number you get and how much you’re getting!
• With a big family/group of friends, this would definitely entail chaos – the good kind, the kind that brings laughter and joy!

#4 The Mystery Box

• Just roll and tie each note and put them in a mystery box. Make sure that onlookers cannot see the content easily.
• With the queue formed, after every salam with each person, he/she would be entitled to take out one roll from the mystery box. The condition is that they’re not allowed to look inside the box while they make their pick.
• You can put different notes of RM5, RM10, RM20 – you get the drill.
• However, as a harmless trick, you can also have only one type of note but act like there is a possibility for something more. It will keep the suspense and eagerness going. Who’s going to get the bigger amount?
• Well, when they have all gotten their share and learnt that everyone got the same amount, you should clarify that you knew it all along – you just wanted to keep the mood alive!
• Good luck with the interrogations by the kids though.

#5 The Money Origami

• Well, instead of giving the usual flat, crisp note, you could fold the money into cool shapes.
• There are a lot of tutorials on the Internet that you can check out!
• Should you go for flat designs like a shirt or a heart shape, you can always put them in the money envelope. Look out for that thrilled expression the moment the recipients pull out the content!
• However, if you don’t mind ditching the money envelope, you can go for designs such as the rose or the four-legged animals! Now imagine giving those away to the little kids!
• Just make sure they get the help they need to unfold the money without tearing it apart!

#6 The Pop And Grab

• All you need are balloons, a wide-mouth funnel, and a hand air pump.
• Just wrap the neck of the balloon around the funnel, throw in some confetti if you like (it will make quite a mess later on though), stash the cash in the balloon, and tie it – ribbons and balloon sticks are accessories which you can opt for to make it more aesthetically pleasing too.
• You will definitely be the star during the duit raya giveaway session. While others have envelopes in their hand, you have pretty balloons!
• The recipients will have to pop the balloon to get the dough though. So, to those with globophobia, be warned! And watch out for the little ones too. Chances are, many of them are no fans of the sound of popping balloons.
• Other than that, we’re certain the cheeky boys would have a lot of fun!

Before carrying out your ‘stunt’, it is advisable to know your audience first – some are best done with close relatives while others can be executed even with just about anybody.

The ultimate aim of going for something out of the ordinary as what we have listed above is simply to create a situation whereby everyone gets together through the element of excitement, generating a positive atmosphere, thus strengthening the bond of the relationships.

The beauty is that these acts could all be done whilst maintaining the normal tradition of salam, which is a significant practice in the Malay culture.