Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot

Sakina was planning a New Year's party for her children. They were allowed to invite one friend each. She wondered what other Muslims did on New Year's as she wanted to make it a bona fide yet halal party. Increasingly as her children reached adulthood she felt the need to create lasting- if cheesy- memories for them.

Did other parents of teens believe that these memories would somehow later anchor them to their homes?

Yet she felt rather clueless about this particular holiday as her own childhood December 31sts had been rather unique. January 1st is also her father's birthday. She recalled one New Year's Eve when she was around seven years old and began to smile. 

Everyone had gone to sleep when there was a knock on the door. Sakina's father immediately walked down the stairs and told Sakina's mother to sit at the telephone table, ready to call the police. Sakina and her brother watched from the banister, whispering to each other about who the intruder could be.

Finally the door was opened.  There stood a group of around thirty people: Sakina's dad's friends and their families.  Some were clutching small wrapped up parcels. An aunty counted to three and then everyone began singing Happy Birthday; clouds of frosty breath rising up into the dark.  An uncle had even made a massive card with cut outs from magazines of gorgeous female movie stars just like on the scene with Kiera Knightley in Love Actually. Then came a rendition of Auld Lang Syne right there on the tiny porch on St John's Terrace. The revelers were then ushered in by Sakina's family amid giggles and chatter.

Every year after that Sakina's mother would make samosas and dahi barrey and Sakina would bake the cake in anticipation of the late night guests. The usually unpunctual friends would arrive on the doorstep exactly at the moment that Big Ben began chiming twelve.

Times changed. Sakina married and moved away. Her sister in law took on much of the preparation for the midnight feast. It was becoming difficult for certain elders to travel or stay up that late for the countdown.  The entire celebration was moved to early evening time and evolved into a semi elaborate dinner. Soon there was a beloved grandchild in the family photos, blowing out candles and licking the icing. One year the popular patriarch felt particularly blessed when all his grandchildren were around him for the cake cutting ceremony- some flying in especially for the event.

The party in Sakina's newly furnished Midwestern basement was in full swing. Everyone had gathered around  the new 48" plasma screen to watch a huge glittery multi colored sphere being lowered down onto Times Square. Sakina's husband clicked a remote to switch on the surround sound. Their youngest son then turrned to Sakina and begged to be allowed to stay up just a little longer:

"Tell us again," he pleaded.

 "Tell us about the night there was a knock on the door at midnight and tell us about the dodgy home made card. Please?"