Eid - Maamoul

This stamp commemorates the festivals of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Celebrated by Muslims all over the world – and by more than one million Muslims in Canada – both events can last several days and include communal prayers and feasts, visits with family, gift giving and acts of charity. In 2024, they begin in April and June, respectively.

The Eid stamp is one of several annual issues that mark events of importance to Canada’s culturally diverse population. The others include Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas.

Good to know

This stamp commemorates the festivals of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Celebrated by Muslims all over the world – and by more than one million Muslims in Canada – both events can last several days and include communal prayers and feasts, visits with family, gift giving and acts of charity. In 2024, they begin in April and June, respectively.

This is Canada Post’s sixth Eid stamp. The previous ones were issued in 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

About the issue

In celebration of Canada’s cultural diversity, this stamp marks two of the most important religious holidays in Islam.

This year, Eid al-Fitr, which signifies the end of fasting during the month of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, which follows the completion of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, begin in April and June, respectively.

The stamp features a photograph of maamoul (Middle Eastern cookies) and a wooden mould used to shape them. The cookies, which are stuffed with a walnut, pistachio or date filling, are a staple of celebrations during the two Islamic festivals. They are also made across the Middle East to celebrate other holidays, such as Easter and Purim.

About maamoul

Melt-in-your-mouth cookies stuffed with a delicious walnut, pistachio or date filling are a sweet staple of celebrations during the Islamic festivals of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

Maamoul, as these treats are called in Arabic, have a long history – with early versions traced back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Family members and friends often gather before the festivals to bake the cookies together. Served to guests and exchanged as gifts, maamoul are traditionally handmade from semolina and flavoured with fragrant rose or orange-blossom water and mahlab – a spice made from ground cherry pits.

Before baking, the stuffed balls of dough are typically formed and patterned using carved wooden moulds that give each of the three classic fillings its own unique shape. Maamoul are also made across the Middle East to celebrate other holidays, such as Easter and Purim.

About Eid

Eid al-Fitr, or the Festival of Breaking the Fast, marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Fasting, which is observed from sunrise to sunset, is one of the most distinctive practices in the Islamic religion. In 2024, Eid al-Fitr begins in April.

Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage, in which millions of Muslims journey to one of the holiest sites in Islam – the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The festival also honours the prophet Abraham (Ibrahim), a revered figure within Judaism, Christianity and Islam, for his willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. Before Ibrahim could sacrifice Isma’il (identified as his son Isaac in the Jewish and Christian traditions), God substituted a lamb. Also called Eid al-Kabir, or the Greater of the two Eids, the festival begins in June in 2024.

Both festivals embody central Islamic practices and values, including empathy and sacrifice for those in need and appreciation for one’s community and greater humanity. These are expressed through communal prayers and feasts, gift giving and acts of charity.

About the design

The booklet cover features a photograph of several maamoul and one of the carved wooden moulds used to shape them.

The inside features a photograph of maamoul and a Syrian coffee pot, cup and serving tray, the six stamps, and credit/caption information.

The back of the stamp features a short text on the stamp subject, along with credit/caption information.