TODAY is Friday and this weekend will be the Eid festival.

For a couple of years now I have been thinking of avoiding people during the afternoon on Eid.

I know I can’t really do this but people are becoming a little possessive after around Oneish.

On the morning of Eid is customary to shake hands and hug almost every second person you meet.

I have to say I have no problem with this. I have no issue with meeting folk in the morning when they all smartened up and happy.

That is before the whole food thing takes over.

From one house to the next we wander like beasts devouring chicken legs, lamb biryani and rasmalai.

After the first two houses I notice that people are generally a little worse for wear.

This is like a pub crawl but without the alcohol.

After a few houses I realise a friend of mine has loosened his shalwar bottoms and is picking food out of his teeth every two seconds.

He is burping and struggling to walk with the amount of mango lassi he has gulped down.

He then shakes hands with people on the streets and tries to hug the next great uncle who has done the exact same thing and is travelling in the opposite direction.

Hey, I’m all for the Eid spirit but after a few hours I am truly all hugged out and do not want to shake another hand.

This is considered quite rude so the best thing to do is quietly slip away and watch some daytime TV at home.

On top of this you have people who actually get annoyed when you do not reply to their ten page text wishing you Eid Mubarak.

Do not send me a text I will not reply.

I have not sent an Eid Mubarak text for ten years now and am not about to begin now so save the free text messages for someone else. I would rather just turn up at their house unannounced.

Middle age does this to you.