Christmas

[Private 1]

JP, I know you did not ask me the question about Christmas and the holidays, but I just came home one day and told my son that we where not celebrating Christmas. Lucky for me his birthday is in December and the EID was in January. So I think this relived some of the pain. I explined to him that muslim have two great holidays and we talked about the two EIDs. This year we did both and actually we will end up doing three this year so he is very happy, he feels specail and finding people like us is what made this transition go over so well. This coming December his birthday is on the EID and he is so excited. The great thing about the winter break that the schools have is that the mosque that I attend always has a nice long Islamic series taking place with speical speakers, shopping, food and lots of fun and being in this kind of environment gives the child something exciting to talk about when he goes back to school.

[christinab 0]

my husband does not permit me to visit family for christmas. he told me it is haraam. hamdullah

[Joel Halfwassen 0]

I long ago introduced my husband to the Jewish Christmas tradition--Chinese food and a movie

That is SO funny! My neighbours who were Jewish did that too! They were doctors and so offered to work on Christmas to allow the Christians time off (or at least less of a chance of being FORCED to work). They would come home for the evening with a VHS and Chinese take-out!

Joel

my husband does not permit me to visit family for christmas. he told me it is haraam. hamdullah

I am TOTALLY butting in and being insensitive, but...I REALLY hope that "my husband does not permit me..." "he told me..." was said in jest.

Joel

Edited November 18, 2006 by Joel Halfwassen

[sarah and hicham 3]

JP, I know you did not ask me the question about Christmas and the holidays, but I just came home one day and told my son that we where not celebrating Christmas. Lucky for me his birthday is in December and the EID was in January. So I think this relived some of the pain. I explined to him that muslim have two great holidays and we talked about the two EIDs. This year we did both and actually we will end up doing three this year so he is very happy, he feels specail and finding people like us is what made this transition go over so well. This coming December his birthday is on the EID and he is so excited. The great thing about the winter break that the schools have is that the mosque that I attend always has a nice long Islamic series taking place with speical speakers, shopping, food and lots of fun and being in this kind of environment gives the child something exciting to talk about when he goes back to school.

ummmmm, what if your son wanted to celebrate Christmas and dind't want to be Muslim? I like to think that if I converted that I would give my kids the choice to do what they wanted. Maybe that depends on their age?

my husband does not permit me to visit family for christmas. he told me it is haraam. hamdullah

Yikes. Good luck with that!

[Donna A 4]

hassan is cool about it. he will go to my familys and eat all that good food. its not like he is celebrating or anything. just having dinner with the family.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

my husband does not permit me to visit family for christmas. he told me it is haraam. hamdullah

i smell a troll.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

my husband does not permit me to visit family for christmas. he told me it is haraam. hamdullah

i smell a troll.

Hmmmmm.... SO from Yemen, too. Intriguing....

[Bosco 1]

Both muslim-- so no Xmas at our house.

Why would a Christian observe Ramadan anyway? To lose weight? To feel their SO's hunger pains? I never did understand that.

My family accepts why we don't celebrate Xmas.

Jackie

I must be PMS'ing cuz this thread is getting under my skin. Before I step out of my 'easy going character' I'm gonna self-ban myself.

Jackie

(just how does one 'do ramadan'? It's not a verb or a social event.......as promised, I'm outta here for the duration)

There are many non overtly religious Muslims that only observe Ramadan and do not practice Islam in other ways. While it is a religious holiday, religion and cultural easily mix, and it can be more of a tradition they have grown up with rather than a religious observance, no different than Christmas for many families. Also, I think Ramadan can be VERY social. It is a time where families and friends gather, both to break the fast and to eat before dawn. The one thing my husband felt lacking about Ramadan here was the social aspect of it. Also, many mosques have now opened their iftar meals to non-Muslims. Holidays hold the meaning the individual ties to them. Ramadan could be more meaningfull to a Christian who respects the tradition of fasting than a Muslim who does it because it is a tradition for him. Non-Muslims can equally use Ramadan as a time for reflection and spiritual cleansings. Fasting is not unique to Islam by any means.

Newsweek did an article about non-Muslims fasting. While it cited many reasons non-Muslims choose do to so, diet was not one, and I think all were ones Muslims can respect.

[browneyez40 0]

I am just wondering how this holiday season is going to go for couples of different religious backgrounds and for those who converted to Islam this year and everyone else.

Enjoy!

Sarah

Yes- he will celebrate with my family. We go over my parents house for dinner and exchange gifts.

D/A

D/A

I do expect him to celebrate my family's holidays in a non-secular way. We have Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter with my parents, sister and grandfather. My family tries (in their own way) to celebrate Ramdan and the Eids with my husband. My mom sends cards (they are so cute too!) and cooks special foods just for him. I try to make every night's break-fast during Ramadan special.

-CB

[Private 1]

JP, I know you did not ask me the question about Christmas and the holidays, but I just came home one day and told my son that we where not celebrating Christmas. Lucky for me his birthday is in December and the EID was in January. So I think this relived some of the pain. I explined to him that muslim have two great holidays and we talked about the two EIDs. This year we did both and actually we will end up doing three this year so he is very happy, he feels specail and finding people like us is what made this transition go over so well. This coming December his birthday is on the EID and he is so excited. The great thing about the winter break that the schools have is that the mosque that I attend always has a nice long Islamic series taking place with speical speakers, shopping, food and lots of fun and being in this kind of environment gives the child something exciting to talk about when he goes back to school.

ummmmm, what if your son wanted to celebrate Christmas and dind't want to be Muslim? I like to think that if I converted that I would give my kids the choice to do what they wanted. Maybe that depends on their age?

my husband does not permit me to visit family for christmas. he told me it is haraam. hamdullah

Yikes. Good luck with that!

Sarah, I would not give my son a choice, I am muslim and so is he. I believe that the transition that he was given was very helpful and my son had no idea about religion before I started to introduce Islam. Children are not excepted to do everything that an adult is required to do however, I would not encourage it nor will I buy gifts. I really feel like Christmas is more of a commerical day and the religious symbolism has been extremely distorted. My son understands that he gets gifts on the EID so as far as he is concerned we have two Christmas's. I also decorate on the EID after the Hajj and we request the day from school, so he truely feels special. Islam is a complete way of life and we life it or at least try to.

[deeshla 0]

We will celebrate it. Last year, husband dressed up as Santa Claus and passed out the stockings (we were in Morocco with both families, so it was really bizarre - but great).

I really love Christmas for the same reason I like Ramadan - family togetherness, good food, celebration and warmth, re-kindled connections, etc. I gain weight during both holidays, btw.

[peezey 0]

I really love Christmas for the same reason I like Ramadan - family togetherness, good food, celebration and warmth, re-kindled connections, etc. I gain weight during both holidays, btw.

yeah, I'd really like to know who does lose weight during Ramadan? It's not like you're not eating at all. In fact, it's harder for me to keep my regular weight since you're eating late!

[Bosco 1]

my husband does not permit me to visit family for christmas. he told me it is haraam. hamdullah

i smell a troll.

ice, ice, baby.....

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

my husband does not permit me to visit family for christmas. he told me it is haraam. hamdullah

i smell a troll.

ice, ice, baby.....

icepacks on the nose kill the odor of trolls?

[Bosco 1]

my husband does not permit me to visit family for christmas. he told me it is haraam. hamdullah

i smell a troll.

ice, ice, baby.....

icepacks on the nose kill the odor of trolls?

y would you ask that