Lanterns and crescents: More retailers court Ramadan buyers

This year's Ramadan, which started last week, Target rolled out its first dedicated Ramadan and Eid collection. It's one of the latest signs of big retailers in the United States catering to Muslim shoppers' needs. Many Muslim enthusiastically welcomed the recognition, applauding retailers.

With her 3-year-old daughter sitting inside a red Target shopping cart, Aya Khalil looked through the aisles with anticipation. The author was on a mission: See for herself that her children's book about a boy and his grandmother baking for an Islamic feast was actually carried by her local Target store in Toledo.

"Oh my God! ... It's right there," Khalil said on spotting "The Night Before Eid."

"Oh yeaaaaah!" her daughter joyously exclaimed. Khalil giggled.

For Khalil, it was a pinch-me moment as an author -- and also a big deal as a mother.

"This didn't happen when I was growing up. It was like, `Are things really changing now?"' she said. "I'm just really happy that now my own kids will be able to see that and that they'll know that their stories are valid and ... are out there like a totally normal thing."

For this year's Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which started last week, Target rolled out its first dedicated Ramadan and Eid collection, including decoration kits with crescent and lantern-shaped cutouts. It's one of the latest signs of big retailers in the United States catering to Muslim shoppers' needs.

Many Muslim Americans enthusiastically welcomed the recognition, applauding retailers that are making it easier for them to bring their families the cheer that ubiquitously and publicly marks some other faiths' holidays.