The invitation says Eid, your search results say there are two of them, and the office card is going around for a signature. Start here: "Eid Mubarak" is the greeting, it works for both holidays, and Muslim organizations recommend it from non-Muslims too. The rest (which Eid is which, what happens at the prayer, and what eidi means) is below.
Sourced to ING, the Harvard Pluralism Project, the Fiqh Council of North America, and government school-absence guidance; celebration customs beyond that follow each family; asking about theirs is a compliment, not an imposition.
There are two each year, and they celebrate different things. Eid al-Fitr (the festival of fast-breaking) closes Ramadan and is traditionally about three days of visiting and feasting. Eid al-Adha (the feast of sacrifice) falls during the Hajj pilgrimage season a couple of months later, honors the Prophet Abraham's faith, and is observed by Muslims worldwide, not just pilgrims. What they share, per Harvard's Pluralism Project: both festivals 'include sermons, the giving of presents, and special dinners', with a communal prayer on the morning of each. What you experience depends on which kind of invitation you're holding. That's step three.
'Eid Mubarak' (blessed Eid) is the standard greeting, and ING's founder Maha Elgenaidi says it plainly: 'A simple Eid Mubarak (Blessed Eid) goes a long way.' 'Happy Eid' is the endorsed English alternative. Text it, say it at the door, put it in the office chat. There is no secret advanced version you're missing.
An Eid prayer invitation means early morning, time-sensitive, possibly at a mosque, rented hall, or park; ING lists all three venues as normal. A festival or community celebration centers on food, games, and children's activities; check the specific event listing for what yours includes. A home invitation is a meal with visiting relatives and friends. An office event is an employer-supported cultural celebration. They're different events with different clocks: one invitation doesn't imply the others.
Confirm the date with the hosting community itself: moon-sighting methods differ, so nearby mosques can celebrate a day apart, and generic online calendars can miss your community's announcement. Arrive early, dress modestly, and ask your host where observers should be; crowding and observer capacity vary by venue. During the special prayer and sermon, you observe quietly, same as any mosque visit.
Gift-giving is a documented part of both Eids: Harvard's Pluralism Project names 'the giving of presents' among the shared features. Eidi is a cultural term for Eid gifts or money, often for children; the form, the recipients, and even the word vary by family and culture. As a guest you are not obligated to bring eidi or anything else (no institution establishes it as a guest duty), so follow the invitation, or ask your host what fits their celebration. Halal rules apply to anything edible.
The documented possibilities are meals, gifts, visiting, and children's activities; which of them your event includes varies by family and by event, and new or best clothes are part of many celebrations (styles follow each family's heritage, not one costume). Dress nicely, accept the food you're offered, and ask about the dishes and the customs. Asking about a family's particular Eid is a welcome question, not an imposition. If the gathering follows a loss in the family, take the celebration cue from your hosts.
'Eid Mubarak,' meaning blessed Eid, Muslim organizations explicitly recommend it from non-Muslims as well, or simply 'Happy Eid,' which ING endorses as the plain-English alternative. Either works in person, by text, or in the office chat, on both Eids.
Eid al-Fitr, the festival of fast-breaking, ends Ramadan and is traditionally around three days of celebration. Eid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice, falls during the Hajj season roughly ten weeks later and honors the Prophet Abraham's faith; it's observed by Muslims everywhere, not only pilgrims. Both feature a morning communal prayer followed by food, visiting, and gifts.
Often yes, with a caveat: Eid services are the most crowded of the year and may fill a mosque, hall, or park, so observer arrangements vary by venue and capacity. Attend with your host or ask the organizing mosque beforehand rather than walking in unannounced. At the service, guests observe quietly from the side or back.
It's not required of guests, no Muslim institution establishes guest gifts or eidi as an obligation. If you'd like to bring something to a home gathering, follow the invitation or ask your host what fits their celebration, gift form, recipients, and terminology vary by family and culture. Anything edible should be halal, which includes checking gelatin and alcohol-based ingredients.
Communities use different accepted methods to declare the Islamic month, astronomical calculation, local moon sighting, or naked-eye crescent methodology, so neighboring congregations can celebrate a day apart, and Eid al-Adha additionally tracks the Hajj authorities' announcement. Confirm the date with your host's own community; their mosque's announcement is the one that counts.
Commonly, yes. U.S. federal guidance says religiously motivated excusals may not be treated less favorably than comparable nonreligious requests, and Ontario's parent guide lists observing a religious holy day as a reason a child may be excused, local notice and attendance procedures still apply in both. Muslim education organizations recommend schools excuse Eid absences with make-up work and no penalty. A classmate's Eid absence is not inherently truancy.