Our Muslim home and Christmas season

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Integrating Christmas traditions within a Muslim home creates a unique environment for family bonding and cultural appreciation. This personal narrative explores how a Muslim family in Trinidad and Tobago navigates the festive season by focusing on secular values such as love, peace, and togetherness.

While religious observance has intensified for some elders over time, the author maintains the festive spirit to provide a sense of magic and stability for her children. The article details the shift from childhood celebrations to modern family life, emphasising that the season offers a necessary reprieve from the year’s challenges.

By prioritising the goodness of giving and the beauty of shared moments, the narrative demonstrates how diverse households find harmony in seasonal festivities.

Key Takeaways

• The celebration of Christmas in this Muslim home focuses on family unity rather than religious doctrine.
• Maintaining festive traditions serves as a psychological reprieve from the financial and physical exhaustion of the year.
• Exposing children to seasonal wonder fosters a belief in goodness and the spirit of giving.
• The transition from childhood holiday experiences to adult perspectives highlights changing religious dynamics within the family unit.
• Festive decorations and shared meals provide a sense of safety and hope amidst a challenging social climate.

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Celebrating Christmas in a Muslim home: A Trinidadian perspective

By Nerissa Hosein. Christmas is for all intents and purposes my happy time. As a kid my family celebrated the season like most, with the Christmas tree, presents and turkey luncheon. It was never really taboo for us in a Muslim home to embrace the festivities.

My time with family

I’m a true Christmas baby at heart. My love for the time of year is truly what drives me through all the problems, physical exhaustion, financial strain and headaches that the year brings!

But over the years, things changed and religion became a stronger factor in the lives of all. Nowadays the elders don’t believe in celebrating what is considered a “Christian holiday” so most of us don’t put up trees and decorate. I am however different and I’ll tell you why.

Christmas to me is not about religion. Yes it celebrates the birth of Christ and that is a glorious time. But that’s not all it is to me. Christmas is my time with family. It’s the time when school stops, vacations start, my husband takes his annual leave and time stops for us.

Time of happiness in our Muslim home

Stress, alarm clocks and busy mornings give way to lazy days, brunches and family moments. It’s a time in my Muslim home when we all come together and forget the problems we have faced in the year, dry the tears we have cried and truly look around to all we have to be thankful for.

It’s a time when the world to me feels a bit safer, the place feels a bit more hopeful and happiness is strong in the air. My husband and I take the kids to see the malls and the decorations and just watching the wonder and glee in their eyes fills my heart with a love I never thought possible. As a mother I want every Christmas to be magical for them, I want to see the excitement and happiness in their tiny faces as we celebrate in our Muslim home.

Songs, decorations and goodness of giving

I love singing songs for them while we put up our tree and decorations. Every night they can’t wait to see the lights go on, they remind me of myself when I was young.

I thought Christmas was magical back then, and I’ll admit I still do. We work so hard all year and it’s getting harder and harder every day. Crime is everywhere we turn. I want my kids to be happy and to believe in goodness and giving as long as they can.

Beautiful season no matter what religion

It’s not about spending money and exorbitant presents for us. It never was. It’s about finding peace after a long, trying year, it’s about ending the year together as a family, surrounded by the beauty of lights, decorations and that merry old St Nick.

So as long as I have health and strength I’ll keep Christmas alive in my heart for my kids and hopefully theirs. It’s a beautiful season and no matter what religion you are, Christmas will always be a time to celebrate! We do it in our Muslim home and it’s great.

Wishing all a happy, healthy and joyous season!

November 2016   www.sweettntmagazine.com

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Our Muslim home and Christmas season, Our Muslim home and Christmas season, Our Muslim home and Christmas season, Our Muslim home and Christmas season