McClatchy special correspondent Miret el Naggar in Cairo attended the start of Ramadan. This is her account of the holy month's first day.

Ramadan starts today !!

For as long as i can remember, Ramadan has always been a happy month. The atmosphere is equivilant to that of Christmas in the West, only that Ramadan is a month-long celebration.

Ramadan is not just the holiest month of the Muslim calendar, it is also the happiest. It's the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when believers fast from dawn to dusk. After sunset families gather for  feasts and later relax around platters of syrupy pastries.

The beauty of Ramadan is that it surprises you you from every corner. On the streets you see decorations hanging from rooftops and in the shop displays. People greet each other with "Have a blessed Ramadan." Coming to the office today Am Abbas the doorman greeted me with the oldest Ramadan joke "Are you fasting this year, or not, as every year?" And as the custom goes I answered back: "No, as every year!"

TV and Radio stream special series, soaps and programs, since Ramadan has the highest viewership rates. Our story about Ramadan's similarity to sweepsweek is here. Of course food ads nearly quadruple during Ramadan compared to the rest of the year.

In Ramadan  life turns nocturnal. It has a slow pace during the days,  occasionally turning tense when driving through Cairo's traffic jams. This year traffic police banned vacations during Ramadan and deployed extra officers to help maintain an easy flow on Cairo's streets. After breakfast Cairo bursts with life.

Kindness and affection towards the other is also a feature of the holy month. On every corner banquets filled with food are set up for the disadvantaged. Quarrels are forgotten and there is an overall atmosphere of merriness.