Jakarta. Eid has become a much-anticipated holiday for Indonesians as employees get to receive bonuses that are usually a month’s worth of salary. But it is not just the adults that are getting richer this Eid. Many kids, too, are about to get some pocket money from their uncles, aunts, and generous neighbors.

Meet office worker Ayu. She already got her hands on some fresh banknotes which she would give to her younger relatives and neighbors when Eid comes in end-March. Like many others, Ayu puts the paper money -- ranging from Rp 20,000 to Rp 50,000 (between $1.2 and $3) -- in small, colorful envelopes. Ayu has prepared some money for her young niece. To Ayu, the Eid bonuses become a reward as the little one manages to fast for a month. 

Eid marks the end of Ramadan. For about 30 days straight, Muslims all over the world abstain from eating or drinking from dawn until the sun sets. Children are not obliged to fast, but they are gradually introduced to the practice as they grow up. Kids usually start by fasting for half a day. Spending a day on an empty stomach can be hard for children, and these Eid bonuses become their well-deserved reward.

“My niece is six years old. She is currently a kindergartener, and will soon enter primary school. … I’m planning to give her a stack of Rp 2,000 bills since she has tried fasting for an entire month,” Ayu told the Jakarta Globe on Friday.

“But in the end, these kids usually give the envelopes to their parents,” Ayu said.

Herman, a father of two, does the same with his nephews and neighbors. The general rule of thumb is the older the kids, the bigger their Eid money. Herman revealed to the Globe that he would give the older nephews up to Rp 100,000 with him saying that “anyone still deserves the allowances if they do not have a job”. His wife even designs the envelopes herself. 

Herman’s eldest son is now in fifth grade. During Eid, the 11-year-old boy can get up to Rp 1 million from his relatives.

“My family is pretty big. [That Rp 1 million] is an accumulation of smaller bills of between Rp 30,000 and Rp 50,000,” Herman said.

And where does all that Eid money go? To the firstborn’s savings account.

“My eldest son has his own bank account, the one that is meant for kids. So we can use the Eid bonus for things such as school needs,” Herman said.

As a parent, Herman does not give his kids cash gifts. However, Herman buys them stuff off their wishlist, again as a reward for fasting. This year, the eldest son is getting a pair of running shoes. His little brother, a six-year-old, asks for a toy gun.

The popularity of giving out money as gifts during Eid explains why banknote exchange services are soaring in popularity ahead of the holidays. Bank Indonesia has even deployed vans which often sees long queues of people wanting to get some fresh paper money. There are also informal exchange services on the side of the road. Herman admitted to having asked his acquaintances who work at a bank for the crisp banknotes instead. Similarly, Ayu also asked for friends’ help for the new bills.