Oh Ramadan come forth...
...the hearts are ill. With three months left until it is upon us, what are we doing to prepare ourselves and welcome Ramadan in the right frame of mind?
Last week my kids asked me about Ramadan with more than three months to go, and it made me smile inside to know they are already looking forward to this blessed gift. It also made me a little anxious, as being in the Islamic lifestyle sector this usually means it is the busiest time of year and the hardest to balance.
Going back to the kids for a minute, I know one of the things they look forward to is the build up with all of the Ramadan crafts we do, calendars, planners, favours, you name it. In the days before Live Love Gift, we would spread these activities out for a good three or four weekends before Ramadan started, however for the last three years it’s been intensely fitted into the last week. Even so, they engage so well with these activities and while we’re doing them, often have so many memorable discussions about Islam and Ramadan.
In sha Allah this year I want to spread that time out and allow for more questions and chats and opportunity for exploring and researching whatever their inquisitive little minds want to know about. So, I start this year’s busy period with some new intentions I want to share with you here.
1. To simplify the crafts...
Observing the kids left when they’ve been left with materials and no end result in mind, I’ve seen them come up with some really creative makes that are completely owned by them. An example is Big Miss’s current origami craze; she’s trying to master making boxes and wants to use these for handing out favours in Ramadan. The craft kits we’ve had in the past often have an end result to achieve with instructions to follow, so this year we will create items and packs you can truly make your own and use to supplement your own projects too. There are a few old kits left which I've reduced to clear, head over to the shop and snap them up!
2. To feature our products in other stores...
It’s always a good idea to shop small, local and independent. There are many businesses like us who are based online, and there are so many with a physical presence on your high streets and shopping areas too. So this year, in sha Allah we will make our Ramadan and Eid range available early for wholesalers. Do you have a local Islamic lifestyle store or favourite online shop you would like to see our products in? Does your masjid have a bookstore or perhaps you own a store yourself? Get in touch and we’ll talk in sha Allah!
3. To offer our products for pre-order online...
Staying with the early bird theme, we will also make the Ramadan and Eid range available at the same time online on a pre-order basis. You can do all your Ramadan and Eid shopping in one go, saving time on the usual last minute rush at the end! In sha Allah we will dispatch early, you get your orders early, and we all get to be prepared early. Win win. There may even be an early bird offer when the range releases. Sign up to the mailing list to be the first to know.
4. To refocus when Ramadan arrives...
My last and most important intention for this year is to take a break from posting on social media and promoting our products when Ramadan begins. Connecting with online communities is an amazing experience and seeing how you use our products drives us to do more. Albeit the busiest month of sales, this Ramadan I want to focus my time on worship, something I sadly admit I have lacked in the last couple of years. The online store will stay live only until current stock sells out. Sounds a little crazy right?! However I accept that what is meant for me will never miss me so I will be content with whatever Allah sends my way, Alhamdulilah.
So, now that I’ve declared our plans for the next few months, it’s time to work on them! I’m deep into the product design stage already, my favourite part of being an entrepreneur as I get to be truly creative and design cool and contemporary new pieces for you! Once they’re ready, it’ll be announced on the next blog post and on our social media pages. If you don’t already, subscribe to our mailing list here and follow our Instagram and Facebook pages to keep tabs on where we’re up to. You can also email us on hi@livelovegift.com with any enquiries.
Make dua we all have a well prepared and productive few months ahead in sha Allah!
S x
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