Learning About Islamic Holidays to Connect with My Students

Salaam everyone! I need some honest advice, please. I’m not Muslim, and honestly, I’ve had a hard time finding reliable info online-it’s all either confusing or feels like it was spat out by some AI. So, I’m coming to real people for help. I started driving a school bus recently, and on my route there’s a Muslim family. A month ago, the kids from that house were all absent one day. Later that morning, after my route, I saw the son and his dad at the store dressed in really fancy clothes-like, super elegant, the kind you’d wear to a black-tie event, but in their cultural style (forgive me, I don’t know the proper name). Then in the afternoon, when I drove by their house, there were about ten women in the front yard, all wearing these gorgeous, flowy dresses. It was beautiful. The next day, I asked the little boy about it, and he just said “Eid” and didn’t explain more. So I gently asked his older sister, a middle schooler, and she said Eid is “like Christmas, but not about a savior, and not about gifts.” From that, I understood it’s a really big holiday for Muslims, just like Christmas is for many Christians. But here’s the thing: at school, Christmas is everywhere-decorations, parties, days off. There was no similar recognition for Eid. That feels unfair. So I have some questions, and I hope you can guide me: - What are the main Islamic holidays I should know about? - How can I respectfully acknowledge them to the kids? Are there greetings I can use, like saying “Eid Mubarak”? Is that okay for a non-Muslim to say? - How soon before or after a holiday is it fine to say something? Like, people say “Merry Christmas” all December-are there similar customs? - Are there holidays where giving small gifts is part of the tradition? Maybe little token presents, like sweets or something? And are there holidays where gifts would be weird or inappropriate? I’m just a bus driver, but I want these kids to feel seen and respected, just like their classmates do with other holidays. I don’t want to mess up, so any tips about customs or traditions would be a huge blessing. JazakAllah khair for helping me be better for them next school year.