CAIRO, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Although Egypt has largely remained stable amid the escalating U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, the spillover effects of this regional war have seeped into Egyptians' everyday life, even affecting Eid al-Fitr celebrations.
Across Egypt, many families are quietly scaling back their Eid al-Fitr traditions, striving to preserve the joy of the celebration amid rising prices and growing uncertainty driven by the ongoing regional turbulence.
"It is not the time for luxury," said Rabab Hussein, a 35-year-old teacher, as she browsed a second-hand shop in a crowded downtown Cairo market of El-Wekala.
Accompanied by her two daughters, Hussein carefully negotiated prices before settling on two dresses for about 300 Egyptian pounds (5.74 U.S. dollars).
"I can wear last year's clothes," she said softly, "but I don't want my daughters to feel the difference during Eid."
Her concern reflects a wider sense of anxiety. "No one knows when the war in Iran will end, or how long prices will keep rising here," she added, stressing "I need to save for the coming weeks to cover essentials."
Across markets, cautious spending is becoming the norm. Shoppers are carefully comparing prices, moving from store to store before making purchases, and often leaving with less than they had planned.
"People think twice before spending," said Adel Mansour, a shop owner. Despite offering discounts of up to 20 percent, sales remain slow.
In a modest kitchen, Amira Sallam and her family came together to make traditional Eid sweets.
"Buying ready-made treats has become too costly," she explained. "A kilo of biscuits costs around 250 Egyptian pounds, and we usually need several kilos."
So instead, Sallam purchased the basic ingredients at a lower price and baked at home alongside her mother and children.
Yet even this tradition has been affected by rising prices. The cost of flour, sugar, butter, and nuts has surged by more than 30 percent, prompting families to cut quantities, simplify recipes, or limit the variety of sweets they make.
Behind these everyday choices lies a deeper worry, not just about rising costs, but about what lies ahead. Higher import prices, currency pressures, and inflation, worsened by regional instability, are weighing heavily on households.
Waleed Gaballah, an Egyptian economic analyst, said the conflict has contributed to rising energy costs, supply chain disruptions, and growing uncertainty in global markets.
"These pressures are transmitted directly to the domestic economy driving high inflation and reduce purchasing power," he said.
For many Egyptians, the uncertainty itself is as troubling as the hardship.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly chaired a meeting of the government's crisis management committee to assess the fallout from the ongoing war. The meeting examined various scenarios depending on how long the crisis persists, with a focus on potential risks to oil prices, supply chains, and international trade, according to a government statement.
Like ordinary Egyptian families, the government has also been reviewing public spending to improve efficiency as global trade and supply chains come under increasing strain.
Even with tight budgets, Egyptians are still doing their best to keep Eid traditions alive.
"Eid isn't about buying things," said Ola Ismael, a mother in her 40s who recently had to cancel a holiday to Sharm el-Sheikh after the trip's cost topped 30,000 pounds. "It's about being together." ■
