Shopkeepers in Manama report rise of 50 per cent in sales during Eid holiday

TDT | Manama

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Bahraini halwa shops draw thick crowds during Eid Al Fitr.

The chewy dessert is a mainstay of hospitality and a cherished part of local tradition.

Made with starch, saffron and rose water, halwa has a smooth, jelly-like texture and a rich, warming taste.

During Eid, families make a point of buying it — whether to welcome guests or to send to relatives and friends. It brings people together and adds a dash of joy for those who await it every year.

Indulgent varieties

Shopkeepers in Manama report a rise of around 50 per cent in sales during the holiday, especially for the more indulgent varieties that come packed with nuts.

Halwa continues to hold its place at the centre of Eid.

It stays with Bahrainis across generations and tends to win over visitors, too. Each piece on the table carries more than sweetness.

There’s a thread of memory that runs through it. The story begins in the narrow corners of the souq, passes through the careful hands of traders, and ends in homes filled with laughter and conversation.

The journey starts in the market. Colours leap out from every direction. The scent of spices and sugar hangs in the air.

Behind glass, the halwa gleams, neatly arranged and tempting. Traders know Eid would feel unfinished without it. They hand it over with the sort of warmth that feels like part of the offering.

By the time it reaches home, halwa has already become part of the celebration. Its scent fills the car.

Children try their luck asking for a piece before Eid arrives. Their mother, calm and amused, reminds them that the best parts are worth waiting for.

Later, on the Eid table, it is placed with care among the fruit and nuts.

It sits there not just as dessert, but as a gesture of welcome, a sign of shared joy, and a quiet echo of Eids gone by.

Journey

When the family gathers and everyone takes a bite, there’s a sense that the journey has reached its proper end.

Halwa carries more than taste. Folded into its layers are the sounds of market traders, the scents of old firjan, and the soft pull of memory.

Year after year, the same little ritual returns, and somehow it never loses its charm. Much like Eid itself.