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#Islam holiday decorating
kvtnisseverdeen · 1 year
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For the first time, Ramadan is being celebrated with a light display in central London, in Piccadilly Circus. Ramadan Mubarak. (x)
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mo-art-store · 2 years
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If you are worried about fit, cultural differences, or something else, here is a gift to give your Muslim friend on Eid.🌙 🧧 🕌
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crafty-crow · 2 years
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A wreath I made for my dorm room door. Ramadan mubarak! ☪️
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sag-dab-sar · 3 months
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The Need to Recognize Christmas' Preferential Treatment 🎄
Christmas is seen as "stolen" from pre-Christian traditions or described as "not really Christian". Some of it is legitimate (e.g with specific local or national folk traditions), a lot of it is pseudo-history (e.g Mithras birthday, an entire Christmas tree, lights) but frankly neither actually matter. Because, in our modern world, Christmas holds a prestigious place due to Christianity.
.🔹.
Here are examples that showcase Christmas' ubiquitous, unquestioned place in many Culturally Christian nations and why we need to recognized its ubiquity:
Appropriation of Judaism, re-imagined for Christmas exists like this. @/koshercosplay has basically an infinite amount of examples to use for these posts and even gets sent asks of more examples.
There is no Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu or other religions' holidays reserved as an official federal holiday in the US. So all non-Christian religious holidays are labeled as "accommodations" while Christmas is a given.
While my post targets the US because thats were I am from, this isn't US only. Christmas is a public holiday in a large protion of countries around the world (see map).
Hallmark Christmas movies, that are made by the dozens at this point and are a US Christmas staple, are propaganda longing for a better ""family friendly"" white washed Christian version of America that never existed.
Hallmark has added anti-semitism into it's Christmas movies.
A Hanukkah presentation was banned in a Florida school meanwhile the same school was celebrating Christmas activities and decorations. Justified by Florida's Parental Rights Bill ("Don't say gay" bill) "obligating us to follow the 5th grade standards [...] At this time, a Chanukah presentation is not in our standards." It was only reversed to to social media outcry.
Something similar also happened in a Vancouver school where Christmas decorations were allowed because they "aren't religious" while Hanukkah ones were explicitly denied.
Fasting and breaking for prayer during Ramadan is seen as an inconvenience to employers, who need "guidance" on how to "accommodate" their Muslim employees. And has led to Muslims being straight up fired. Whereas Christmas decorations, events, or music in a work setting is fine.
Universities won't hold classes on Christmas but will reverse their practice of not holding classes on Yom Kippur & Rosh Hashanah because not holding classes on those holidays is "intended to insure greater continuity in the academic schedule and minimize course disruption for students." Those two holidays are a debate at the university— Christmas is never a debate.
Not holding classes on Eid al-Adha is also controversial! This also included reversing the decision to not have classes. The decisions to not hold classes on the holiday is a debate at the school board— Christmas is never a debate.
To make it all worse in the US: Christian Nationalism is dramaticlly increasing x x x
.🔹.
No matter what pagan-ness or secular aspects can be found in Christmas it has a privileged special place in our culture— that is afforded to no other religion— specifically because it is Christian. There are a few examples where this isn't the case (e.g Japan) but those are very few and far between
In my strong opinion: if you choose to celebrate the holiday, as a Christian or non-Christian, you should recognize the special spot & privilege it has.
You shouldn't dismiss that fact and the above examples because "pagan origins" or "celebrating it in a secular way"
Maybe next time when your classmate, your child's classmates, or you sibling's friend want to put up Hanukkah decorations in school next to the Christmas ones you can speak against the school administration that bans it, or against the teacher who gets upset at the idea.
Or perhaps you can be the person at the school board meeting who points out that Christmas isn't any more special than Yom Kippur or Eid al-Adha so why are those debatable when Christmas isn't.
Recognizing these things is not raining on Christmas' parade nor does it mean you should feel guilty for celebrating, its simply a matter of expanding you view of the world and learning the obstacles other people face.
.🔹.
P.S
Recognizing its preferential spot is paramount imo but if you'd also like to touch on the history of the matter:
Here is some info on the "Christmas is stolen" argument, as well as tracing secular and religious history of the holiday.
The origins of Christmas and its traditions are marred with psudeo-history plastered all over news websites, blogs, and supposedly reputable sources. But many of this comes down to secondary sources citing each other in a loop without primary sourcing. Here is an example of how that can happen (not xmas related).
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-Dyslexic, not audio proof read- | -repost-
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blue-sterling0357 · 1 year
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Can I get a thing where Agni spends the holidays with his fem s/o? Maybe they meet her family?
(does the fact that it's feb stop me from writing this...No, it does not, because I was basically absent and into a horrible situation!!!!)
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Agni and S/O spend the holidays!
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✧ If there is one thing I wish to say as an Indian like him, is that we don't popularly used to celebrate Christmas as it isn't of our main religions' or Hindus' or Muslims'.
✧ Agni also being an Indian, probably didn't celebrate Christmas because many Indians don't follow Christianity, but they follow Hinduism or Islam, and since Christmas isn't a thing for Hindus or Muslims, but other than that there are other festivals too! Like the Diwali if it occurs in December, Ekadashi where Gods wake up and most marriages are recommended to be celebrated and karwachauth where the bond of a husband and wife is celebrated!
✧ Although, he doesn't celebrate Christmas, he will be willing to celebrate it with you, if you'd explain the Christmas traditions to him otherwise he'll ask Sebastian about it...
✧ He would love to bake cookies with you! He may not know, but he secretly has been practicing with Sebastian on how to make perfect Christmas flavoring cookies!!! He made a cranberry flavored one too!!!
✧ India has a huge variety of clothing material, so getting some good high quality material for Christmas sweaters is quite nice, though they won't have any designs though....But it's okay, cause he's happy!!!!
✧ He would love to play in snow, spending hours to create beautiful letters, messages, drawings and make things with it like castles and just try to make you smile!!!
✧ He will probably make you Indian sweets and if you ask him hard enough, he will put his cooking insecurities behind and make you some Victorian desserts as well!
✧ He would help you pick a Christmas tree and help you decorate it, and then you both end up buying two tiny ones and have a competition to see how will decorate their tree the best and as always Agni won, even Sebastian lost in front of him.....
✧ He will probably take you around the Indian city, bringing you chai and different treats to eat as you both walk around and spend time with each-other and later on you both end up dancing in a newly wedded couples dance show-room....He looked handsome in the lighting.....
✧ Soma would also love to spend Christmas with you and you both being menaces, with you teaching him Christmas rituals and all that and you both making a mess which is gonna give Agni a headache while he tries to clean the shit up....
✧ You teaching Soma how to sing Christmas carols and he tries his best, but he barely know how to pronounce the words correctly and when he does, he forgets the words, but it's okay cause it gets a laugh out of you and it makes Agni smile seeing you happy and laughing!
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prodigal-explorer · 12 days
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to celebrate together - a sanders sides fanfiction
this is a cute fluffy fic (for the most part) about human versions of the sides discussing easter, ramadan, and passover, three very prominent holidays from three different religions during the springtime!
(cws -> brief mention of anti-semetism, brief mention of anti-semetic hate crimes, honestly there are brief moments of insensitivity towards all three religions mentioned (christianity/catholicism, islam, and jewish) but they are genuine moments of confusion and not in bad faith! this fic is about learning and growing and respecting other religions, so there is a bit of a learning curve.)
word count: 2.9k
(also, i know i usually write a lot of unsympathetic patton which may deter some people. it will comfort these people to know that patton is not unsympathetic in this fic! he's actually a cool guy! so don't worry about that.)
Everyone in the house knew that Easter was one of Patton’s favorite holidays by now. They had only been living together for a few months, but it was obvious from the new way Patton carried himself in the springtime. He bought a lot of Easter-themed furniture, so by the time March 1st rolled around, the house was covered head to toe in eggs, bunnies, baskets, chicks, and crosses. Lots of crosses. 
“Why are there a bunch of plus signs everywhere?” Roman had dared to ask one day, “Logan, is this one of your math projects?” 
“You seriously don’t know what a cross is?” Patton asked, his eyes wide with shock, “Oh, that’s right. You’re balsamic.” 
“Uh…Islamic,” Roman corrected awkwardly, “Me and Remus just say we’re Muslim. And I know what a cross is, I just didn’t know that it was one of those. They really do look like plus signs with a big tail. What are they all for?” 
“Well, they’re Easter decorations!” Patton explained readily, “Since Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, we have crosses here to commemorate all he sacrificed for his people.” 
“Wow,” Roman said, a smile forming on his face, “I guess Jesus must have been pretty brave.” 
“He’s not just brave, Roman,” Patton said, “He died for us. The least we can do is celebrate him.” 
“Yeah, that seems fair,” Roman said, still gazing around the colorful, decked out area with a gentle, somewhat cautious curiosity that was generally unlike him. He seemed to sense that this was sensitive territory. “So…why do you guys celebrate Easter the way you do? With the bunnies and the eggs? Did Jesus really like sunny side up or something? Did he have a pet bunny?” 
“Come on,” Patton said, “I want to tell everyone about this!” 
Roman grinned and followed Patton into the living room, where the others were sitting and chatting. Logan was on the recliner, working on a grocery list, while Janus and Remus were on the ground, playing Go-Fish. Virgil was spread across the couch, scrolling through his phone. 
“Guys, Patton’s gonna teach us about Easter!” Roman said, “Like, why they use the eggs and stuff.” 
“It’s because of Jesus,” Logan droned tiredly, staring up at Patton, “Is this really necessary?” 
“Of course it’s necessary, Logan!” Patton chastised, “It’s the most important event of springtime!” 
Virgil tilted his head. “But what about Passover?” 
“Pass-what?” Patton said, clearly confused, “No, we’re talking about Easter. What’s passover?” 
“I like Layat Al-Qadr best,” Remus shrugged, “It’s the only night of the year where I can get Roman to shut up.” 
“Hey!” Roman protested, “Oh, I have an idea! We’ll have a contest. Each of us will talk about what we think is the most important event of springtime, and then we’ll hold a vote!” 
“I suppose we can do that,” Janus said, “Logan and I don’t celebrate any of these things, so we will be neutral voters. We don’t have any emotional attachment to any of the options.” 
“Perfect!” Patton said, “And we’ll start with Easter, because Easter is-”
“Fat chance,” Virgil said, “Everyone already knows everything about Easter. It’s the only holiday that Americans give a shit about. It’s all over the supermarkets, it gets all the attention and respect. You don’t even know what Passover is, and do you even know that Ramadan exists?” 
“Of course I know what ramen is, I had some for dinner last night,” Patton said. 
The room was silent for a second. 
“Virgil has a point,” Logan said, but when Patton pouted, Logan continued, “But we can still hear Patton out. He may say something we don’t know about yet. Besides, if we’re going to keep this vote objective, we need to hear out every option with equal respect and attention. Can we do that?” 
“Yeah, sorry, Pat,” Virgil said softly.
“Sure,” Remus said, “Tell us about how Jesus got nailed on a cross.” 
“Why would I tell you about that if you already know that part?” Patton asked with a disgusted expression. 
“Cuz it’s the coolest part,” Remus replied with a toothy grin. 
“Well…you’re not entirely wrong,” Patton said, growing excited as he started again to speak, “Easter is the holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus! It’s celebrated every springtime, after the first full moon of spring. Jesus was arrested by Jewish leaders, and he was sentenced to death on the cross for trying to lead his people.” 
“Interesting,” Janus mumbled, narrowing his eyes a bit, “Jewish leaders. That was an interesting detail to mention. Why does that matter to you, Pat?” 
“Anyway,” Patton said icily before continuing the story, “A man named Joseph asked these leaders to take Jesus down from the cross after he died, in order to bury him properly. They allowed it, and Joseph buried Jesus in a stone tomb. But three days later, when people came to put spices on Jesus’ body, they found that he was gone!” 
“So Jesus wasn’t actually dead??” Roman asked, clearly shocked by that twist in the story. 
“Well, of course he’s not dead,” Patton said, “That’s the entire point of Easter, buddy! Jesus was resurrected. Easter is a holiday that represents rebirth. There’s always hope, and Jesus will always be there for us. Even during the darkest times, and even in the face of death.” 
“Jesus is badass,” Remus remarked, “But that still doesn’t explain why there are eggs, though.” 
“Oh! Another part of Easter is something called Lent,” Patton said, “In the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday, Christians and Catholics celebrate Lent, which is a time of prayer and resisting temptation from sin. People sometimes give up things that they consider to be sinful during Lent. It’s a mindful thing. Right now, I’m giving up alcohol. And back in the medieval times, eggs weren’t allowed during Lent, so on Easter Sunday, eggs were used to signify that Lent has passed on by. Also, eggs…they represent rebirth in a way.” 
“Don’t they just represent birth?” Logan asked. 
“Well, I guess, but…come on, Logan! You like the egg salad I make every easter!”
“Your egg salad is quite good.” 
“That’s what I thought.” 
“Easter is pretty cool,” Virgil said, “That’s really cool, actually.” 
“So you think it’s better than your day?” Patton asked hopefully. 
Virgil laughed. “Good one. Easter sounds awesome and all, but nothing beats Passover.” 
“What’s that one?” Roman asked eagerly, “Why’s it called Passover? Do you play basketball or something?” 
“Okay, where the heck did basketball come from?” Janus asked. 
“I mean…you pass over the ball. In basketball,” Roman replied. 
“No basketball,” Virgil chuckled, “It’s actually called Passover for a bit of a complicated reason. I’ll start from the beginning. This story starts in Egypt. The pharaoh, who is basically the leader of Egypt, didn’t like Jewish people, and he didn’t want too many Jewish people living in Egypt. So he enslaved all the Jews who currently lived there, and ordered that all Jewish babies who are birthed in Egypt get killed.” 
Roman’s eyes widened, and he started to feel a bit sick. 
“But why?” he demanded, “The Jewish babies didn’t even do anything!” 
“You’d be surprised what people do to people who are different,” Virgil replied in a mutter, “Anyway, one Jewish woman decided that she wouldn’t let her baby die. She hid her baby in a basket and put him into the river, to float away to somewhere safer. The pharaoh's daughter found the baby, and decided to take him in. His name was Moses.” 
“Oh! Moses!” Roman cried out in recognition, “Like the movie, like the movie The Prince Of Egypt!” 
Virgil smiled slightly and nodded. 
“Yeah,” he said, “Yeah, like that movie. That’s a good movie if you guys want to learn more about Moses.” 
“And listen to some amazing songs by Stephen Schwartz!” Roman added. 
“Roman, let’s let Virgil finish, okay?” Logan said, and Roman reluctantly nodded, turning his attention back to Virgil. 
“Anyway, Moses grew up, and found out that he was Jewish, and he came from a Jewish family. He saw how horribly his people were being treated, and when he killed a slave master, he ran away to the desert,” Virgil continued, “There, he found a burning bush, and the bush talked to him. The bush basically said that he was God, and he was going to help Moses set the Jewish people free. But when Moses came back and told the pharaoh this, the pharaoh refused, over and over. And every time the pharaoh refused, God sent down a different plague, or curse, to Egypt.” 
“But that’s not fair,” Patton protested, “The rest of the people didn’t even do anything.” 
“Well, I don’t disagree,” Virgil said, “But God wasn’t feeling very forgiving after having his people enslaved for years. He knew that there was no other way to convince the pharaoh.” 
“Yeah, if you’re gonna get mad at anyone, get mad at the pharaoh,” Janus said, “He was the stubborn son of a bitch who wouldn’t set free the slaves. He put his people in danger by doing that just because he wanted more free labor.” 
“There were a lot of plagues because the pharaoh kept saying no,” Virgil explained, “And the tenth plague was a curse called the angel of death, a curse that would kill the first-born child of every home. In order to protect the innocent families, God told Moses to tell anyone who would listen to paint over their door with lamb’s blood. If the door was painted over, then the curse would pass over them, and nobody would die. Passover, see?” 
Roman nodded, his eyes widening as he was enraptured in the story. “Passover,” he repeated. 
“The Israelites listened to Moses, but a lot of others in Egypt didn’t, including the Pharaoh,” Virgil said, a bit sadly, “It sucked. They all had to learn the hard way. If they had just listened to Moses, nobody would have died. If the pharaoh had just let the Israelites go the first time, then none of the plagues would have had to happen. But stricken with grief after his firstborn son died, the pharaoh finally let the Israelites go, and they were freed from slavery.” 
“So that’s the story of Passover,” Logan said, “How is it celebrated?” 
“Well, it’s celebrated for eight days,” Virgil explained, “Seven if you’re in Israel. But here in America, it’s eight. On the first night of Passover, Jewish families have a Passover seder, which is a big dinner where we pray and sing, and we tell stories from a book called the Haggadah. All families celebrate a little differently, but for the most part, we do that stuff. I remember when I was little, my mom would always give me a sip of her wine.”
“Damn, just a sip?” Remus asked with a little laugh, “Shoulda given you a whole cup. Imagine a drunk little Virgil stumbling around.” 
“That would have been cool,” Virgil admitted, “Me and my cousins would drink grape juice and pretend to be drunk. After all the serious stuff was over, of course. A big part of Passover is discussing current events. Unfortunately, most places in the world aren’t very Jew-friendly. Even here in America, there are a lot of hate crimes. Actually…” 
Roman noticed with horror that Virgil was getting teary-eyed. 
“Virgil?” Logan asked quietly, “What’s wrong?” 
“I’m sorry,” Virgil said, trying to wipe away his tears before they fell, “This is hard to talk about. The synagogue that my family went to when I was a kid before I moved here, it- a few years ago- it- it got burnt down.” 
“Burnt down,” Janus realized, “As in…someone did it. On purpose.” 
Virgil nodded, his eyes completely downcast. He was crying, but his face was hardened, almost angry. But not quite. He seemed too sad to be angry. 
“All the drawings the kids made. All the food that people donated. All the copies of the Torah,” he whispered, “It was all gone in one night. My parents still can’t talk about it without crying. I guess I can’t either.” 
“I’ve never heard of anyone burning down a religious building like that,” Patton said softly, “That’s horrible.” 
“Yeah? That’s cuz they don’t burn down your stuff,” Janus said quietly, putting a hand on Virgil’s shoulder, “I’m sorry, Virgil. You…don’t deserve that. Nobody deserves that. No matter what.” 
“Don’t let me stop you from continuing the competition,” Virgil said, “Remus, I wanna hear about yours. What is this one day that can get Roman to shut up?” 
“Do we really have to bring that joke back?” Roman asked, too amused to be sore. 
“Well, the night I was talking about, Layat Al-Qadr, is just one night of Ramadan,” Remus started to explain, “Ramadan’s actually about a month long.” 
“A whole month?” Logan asked, “Wow. That’s a lot longer than Easter and Passover.” 
“Not if you count Lent,” Patton pointed out. 
“Layat Al-Qadr is the 27th day of Ramadan,” Roman continued, “And you pray the whole entire night, pretty much. We ask Allah to forgive us for the mistakes we made, and we hope that he says yes.” 
“How do you know if he says yes?” Logan asked, tilting his head slightly. 
Roman shrugged. “You don’t. That’s why you have to believe.” 
“That sounds kinda boring, praying for the whole night,” Janus admitted, “Is that seriously the only thing you do?” 
“I was worried it would be boring too,” Roman admitted, “But it’s actually really cool. You’d be surprised how therapeutic it is. It feels nice, talking to someone who you know will always listen. Reflecting on all the stuff you did, and figuring out how to do better without worrying about anyone getting mad at you or hating you.” 
“And we also have iftar,” Remus said, “It’s like a giant meal, and we get to spend time with family while breaking our fast.” 
“Wait, wait- you fast?” Virgil asked, “For an entire month?” 
“It’s not so bad,” Remus shrugged, “Especially because we have iftar, and we usually eat a little bit in the morning. Breaking the fast together as a family during iftar is cool, because, like, everybody’s breaking it at the same time. So it’s like- we all are hungry together, and then we all become satisfied together. It’s pretty cool.” 
“We also have five prayers that we say every day,” Roman added, “Along with an extra one at night. The prayers are the really important part because it’s so traditional. It’s been done for so many years before us, it’s like…passing down a torch. We don’t want to forget about it. So we do it to honor the people before us, so that hopefully, the people after us have something in common with us when they celebrate Ramadan.” 
“Well, when you explain it like that, it sounds really cool,” Virgil admitted. 
“I used to think prayer was weird, and kinda culty,” Janus mumbled, clearly a bit ashamed, “But…it actually sounds awesome. Mindful, you know?” 
“Wait, where does Ramadan come from anyway?” Patton asked, “Like the fasting and the praying. Who started it?” 
“It was started by the Prophet Muhammad,” Roman said eagerly, “He’s this really cool guy who told us what Allah wanted for the Muslim people. And Ramadan is the month on the Muslim calendar where Muhammad found the Quran, which is our holy book. It’s sort of like Patton’s bible and Virgil’s Torah.” 
“Oh, gotcha,” Patton said. 
“To be more specific, it’s the ninth month of our calendar,” Remus said, “But also, it depends on the moon. It’s like a thing. To try and spot the Ramadan moon. Roman and I did it a few times when we were younger.” 
“It’s hard to do it now,” Roman said, “There’s so much artificial light in this city. But once it’s high enough in the sky, we can see it great. It’s so cool, feeling like you discovered something.” 
“And we fast because Muhammad told us to, basically,” Remus said, “It’s one of the five pillars of Islam, fasting during Ramadan. And like Roman said, the Muslim people have done it for thousands and thousands of years. So it feels really awesome to continue it today. Even if it leaves us a little hungry and cranky sometimes.” 
“You guys should come to iftar sometime,” Roman said, “A bunch of our Muslim friends and us all come together and eat and talk and laugh, and just enjoy each other’s company.” 
“It sounds amazing,” Virgil said, “Kinda like Passover seder.” 
Remus nudged Virgil gently, smiling over at him. 
“Hey, yeah!” he said. 
“And Easter Sunday!” Patton piped up. 
“Maybe all our events have more in common than we think,” Roman said, “I mean, all of them have cool stories, and big dinners, and just…that festive attitude. That feeling of carrying on a tradition that’s so much bigger than yourself.” 
“Do we even need a vote, then?” Logan asked, “I don’t know what to vote for. All of those events sound lovely.” 
“I agree,” Janus said, “Maybe we can vote on something else. Like what movie to watch tonight?” 
“I vote The Prince Of Egypt!” Roman cried out, “Virgil made me think about it, and now all the songs are in my head!” 
“Oh! I’ll make some egg salad for dinner!” Patton said, “It’s the 21st century, we’re allowed to eat eggs during Lent now!” 
“Maybe I’ll bring in the leftover date cookies from yesterday’s iftar,” Remus said. 
“Yes, those are so good!” Roman agreed, “And I wrapped them in foil, so they should still taste fresh!” 
Virgil smiled and closed his eyes, wiping away his residual tears gently as he listened to his friends ramble and scramble to celebrate together. Maybe tonight, this strange amalgamation of Easter, Ramadan, and Passover, the mutual respect and admiration for these three holidays, was their most important event of the springtime.
--
(i hope you all enjoyed this fic!! during times like these especially, it is so important to remember that every religion is beautiful and valid, and every religious holiday ought to be respected! now, i am not catholic, christian, muslim, or jewish. i wrote about these holidays after doing extensive research from multiple sources for each, but if i got anything wrong, please please let me know and i will correct it to the best of my ability. i promise i want to learn and grow, just like these guys, so if something is inaccurate, please tell me if you feel so inclined, and i will take what you say into account!!)
(have an amazing spring, no matter what you celebrate!!)
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Anyone else just frustrated with how interwoven the solstices are with specifically Christian holidays?
Like, I know why Christianity chose to put their holidays close to the celebrations of the native religions of Europe. But I would like to not, you know. I would like to be able to tune out Christianity for, not only my sanity, but so that I can feel like I have room to be [insert non-Abrahamic religion]. Not to mention the fact that, at least where I am in the US, even Jewish/Islamic holidays get overshadowed by Christian ones(a conversation for another post on why Jewish/Islamic holidays also getting the short stick frustrates me).
My main frustration is that, even among people who know I hate Christmas and currently a practicing witch, I can't escape. I know non-practicing, self identifying Christians, who still practice Christian holidays. I know atheists who ask me if I'm going to the office Christmas party, complete with Santa hat. My neighbors ask me why I put up Halloween decorations and not Christmas ones. My own MIL, who this past year has given up Christianity and criticizes it, still hosts the family Christmas party.
But when I ask those same people if we can do a different kind of celebration, like a Jewish one or something else, they get defensive. "I would still like to see my family!" I never said we have to stop the get-together. "I can't just change the holidays on the kids!" Your kids know the only reason this holiday happens is for gifts, you can still give them toys. "We can't just separate the winter solstice from Christmas. Christmas is already a pagan holiday." --a real response from my fiancé after I told him I would like to have future where I can culturally separate the winter solstice that was before Christianity, from the now holiday.
Don't get me started about the decorations and music.
Not only do I have to deal with Christian holiday defenders, but when I try to talk about it with them, they will not listen. Why is it so hard to have a winter day where I can practice my own spirituality without being forced to share it with Christians? I don't want to share what little we have have left from the cultures that pre-date Christianity. And what we do have surviving IN Christianity, I would like back. And to say I can't have that, either directly or indirectly, is what makes this time of the year more miserable for me.
*EDIT*
I DO NOT WANT THE OPINION OF CHRISTIANS ON THIS POST, OR EVEN CHRISTIAN WITCHES
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amerthehammer · 5 months
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The Struggle of Conviction: A Pro-Israeli Voice in an all-Palestinian Family
The Struggle of Conviction: A Pro-Israeli Voice in an all-Palestinian Family
Date: October 16, 2023
In the midst of today's turbulent events, I feel compelled to share my deeply personal journey. At 34 years old, recently marking my 34th birthday, I reflect upon a life born into a devout Islamic Palestinian family. A life where the value of unity was instilled in me from an early age, but as time passed, it became increasingly apparent that my beliefs were evolving differently.
Interestingly, I developed a strong affinity for Christmas over the years – a holiday imbued with the magic of shimmering lights, grand trees, and endless decorating possibilities. This was a stark contrast to my Islamic upbringing, where Christmas had no place, and festively adorned trees were nowhere to be found. Yet, year after year, just outside my window, I would see my neighbors' beautifully adorned Christmas tree. Returning to school after the Christmas break, my friends and classmates would eagerly share their holiday experiences and gifts, while I silently grappled with the absence of such celebrations in my life. It was a challenge, but with time, I learned to adapt.
I certainly didn't fit the mold of the ideal Muslim. Failing to observe the fast-during Ramadan, for instance, led to a cascade of judgment and shame. From my earliest memories, my mother fervently impressed upon me the dire consequences of not meeting specific religious requirements, warning of eternal damnation. Within my family, an unspoken consensus had taken hold: I wasn't just destined for hell, but I was headed for its deepest depths. Neglecting to pray five times a day or to observe the fast, as my family believed, was seen as falling short of God's expectations. After enduring a ceaseless stream of such admonitions, I began to internalize them.
It was only after receiving a cancer diagnosis that I realized the futility of striving to meet my parents' religious expectations. I had to come to terms with the understanding that winning that battle was an impossibility. In those challenging moments, a mentor's words echoed in my mind: "Choose Life," inspired by the 1996 British black comedy-drama film "Trainspotting," directed by Danny Boyle. The day I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, alongside a tumor in my chest, I found myself in a hospital room, surrounded by Palestinians, my parents, and a host of relatives – some of whom I hadn't seen in years and others I had never met. It was in this pivotal moment that I made a defining decision.
In that hospital room, weighed down by my circumstances, I confidently marked the "Judaism" box under religion on the form. This form would pass through various hands, and the reactions I encountered in response to my choice were nothing short of bewildering. While judgmental looks were cast my way, I met them with a radiant smile.
In summary, my journey has led me to remission and well-being, but it has also exposed me to deep-seated prejudices within my family against Jewish people. Over the years, I've overheard my parents and relatives expressing derogatory remarks about Jewish individuals, suggesting that they were in defiance of God and deserving of their misfortunes. Growing up, Jews were often portrayed as an ominous presence, lurking like a shadow in the background. It was only when I learned about the Holocaust that I realized the long-standing fear-driven narrative that had persisted for generations.
Even before I had the opportunity to study World War II in school, I would question my father about Hitler and his actions. The explanations were consistently simplified: "The Jews were blamed for economic hardships, and people were suffering. What else could have happened?" This narrative conveniently omitted any reference to the complex historical context, including World War I and the Treaty of Versailles.
As I delved deeper into the history of World War I, I made a disconcerting discovery: the "stabbed in the back myth" had not faded into obscurity but had found a contemporary resurgence. This myth centered on the belief that the German Army's defeat in the First World War didn't occur on the battlefield but resulted from betrayal by communists, socialists, and Jewish individuals on the home front.
What struck me as profoundly unsettling was that, this time, it was my own parents who were articulating these beliefs. Though I could never fully comprehend the depth of this hatred, as someone who has endured bullying in life, I can empathize with the emotions involved. However, I firmly acknowledge that there's no valid comparison between the struggles I've faced and the enduring hardships that the Jewish community has historically and continues to endure.
With recent events in Israel on October 7th, I found myself grappling with a sense of shame regarding my Palestinian heritage. The scenes I witnessed were deeply distressing, with Hamas involved in brutal acts against innocent men, women, and children. The chilling cries of "God is great" in Arabic only added to the anguish. This experience has reinforced my belief that it is often the self-proclaimed "god-fearing" individuals who, paradoxically, perpetrate the most harm.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict transcends mere territorial disputes; it is profoundly rooted in religious differences. It has evolved into a religious war between Muslims and Jews, each side fervently asserting their faith. I've long perceived Islam as a demanding faith, one that places a continuous emphasis on submission to God. Growing up, I couldn't help but envy my Christian friends who appeared to have a less burdensome religious experience – attending church once a week and joyfully celebrating Christmas. It seemed as though they faced fewer challenges compared to my upbringing in a devout Islamic household, leaving me with the impression that they received more for less.
In conclusion, I find myself standing alone in my perspective, firmly believing that the Jews have a rightful claim to Israel, especially after the horrors of the Holocaust. While some may argue that the land belongs to the Palestinians, history suggests otherwise. Following the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Palestine fell under British rule. While the British made promises to both sides, the only promise that materialized was the creation of Israel. It's a historical fact. I've never shared my family's abhorrent antisemitic views, and I never will. I stand in solidarity with the Jewish people of Israel; they deserve their homeland, unequivocally. These words may draw criticism and hostility, but I'm undeterred. Antisemitism must be eradicated, and Palestinians must confront the historical reality.
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rabbitcruiser · 10 months
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World Tessellation Day
World Tessellation Day is celebrated on June 17 every year. Tessellation is the art of tiling a plane using geometric shapes in the form of tiles that require specific measurements. This holiday is dedicated to appreciating the fascinating art of tessellation and honoring these math-inspired visual artists who don’t often get recognized. Today also allows kids to explore this art form as a hobby. While it’s all about creativity, it also requires analytical skills — a great exercise to boost young children’s left and right brain functions. Learn more about the activities you can do to celebrate World Tessellation Day.
History of World Tessellation Day
The origin of the mathematical art of creating patterns, or tessellation, dates back to 4000 B.C. when ancient Sumerians discovered the use of clay tiles as home and temple decorations. It wasn’t too long until the next civilizations quickly adopted tessellation both in art and architecture. The Arabs, Chinese, Egyptians, Japanese, Romans, Persians, and the Moors practiced the use of repeated patterns and geometric designs in their decorative arts. During the classical antiquity period in the 8th century, tessellation became a staple for mosaic tiling decorations using small square blocks called ‘tesserae.’
In the 4th century, one of the most famous tessellation art was made by the Muslim Moors in Grenada, Spain: the Alhambra, an Islamic tessellation artwork composed of countless tiles in geometric positions that were constructed for the residence and court of Mohammed ibn Yusuf Ben Nasr.
In 1619, Johannes Kepler conducted the first official and documented study of tessellation art. In his book “Harmonice Kundi,” he cited regular and semi-regular geometric designs that heavily influenced modern-day tessellation. He’s also the first person to explore and document the hexagonal features of honeycomb and snowflakes.
In 1891, Russian crystallographer Yevgraf Fyodorov explained in a more advanced study that every periodic tiling in a plane has one of 17 isometries. This study marks the first official recognition of tessellation as a mathematical study. This was further explored by Otto Kienzl and Heinrich Heesch in 1964, and Alexei Shubnikov and Nikolain Belov in 1964.
Today, contemporary artists introduced different modern permutations such as surreal landscapes, hand-print patterns, and paper tessellations.
World Tessellation Day timeline
4000 B.C. The Birth of Tessellation
Sumerians introduce tessellation using clay tiles.
4th Century The Most Famous Tessellation Art
Muslim Moors construct the Alhambra as a residence and court for Mohammed ibn Yusuf Ben Nasr.
1619 The First Study of Tessellation Art
Johannes Kepler studies and explains regular and semi-regular geometric designs of tessellation art.
1891 Tessellation as a Mathematical Study
Russian crystallographer Yevgraf Fyodorov introduces tessellation as a form of math.
World Tessellation Day Activities
Create your own tessellation art
Take tessellation courses
Try digital tessellation art
From tiles to paper designs, you can create your own tessellation art design by just using the simplest materials found in your home. Follow D.I.Y. tutorials on YouTube and let your creative juices flow.
Tessellation art classes are ideal for kids who show artistic and creative potential. Enroll your child in your local art school and let them take weekend classes to boost their creativity and analytical capacity.
Spend the day on your laptop and try out the latest tessellation trend: digital art patterns. There are several apps for tessellation making. Be sure to save your final product and upload it on your social media with the hashtag #TessellationDay
5 Interesting Facts About Tessellation
Only three regular polygons tile a plane
A cube in 3.D.
Tessellation is science
Three ways to construct a tessellation
The father of modern tessellation
Only a square, triangle, and hexagon can completely tile a plane.
A Cube in 3.D. is the only regular polyhedron that can independently tessellate.
Science supports that beehive honeycombs, snowflakes, and dried-up mud are all geometric.
The three categories of tessellation construction are translation, reflection, and rotation.
Dutch artist M.C. Escher is considered the father of modern tessellation.
Why We Love World Tessellation Day
It uses both the left and right brain
Tessellation in fashion is trending
It’s an underappreciated art
Tessellation art is a good exercise to be both creative and mathematical. Unlike other art projects, tessellating requires math while executing your creative vision. It’s perfect for kids’ brain development.
The minimalist era of fashion is on the rise. Tessellation designs of repeated patterns on clothes are hip and trendy. It’s a great excuse to wear these designs on World Tessellation Day.
Not many people know about the cultural, scientific, and mathematical history of tessellation. It’s a great way to introduce this to people to honor the artists and scholars who dedicate their lives to this art form.
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idigitizellp21 · 6 months
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5 Interesting facts about Diwali
Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, is one of the most widely celebrated religious occasions across the world. Here are some of the most surprising facts about Diwali that you probably didn’t know.
1. The day Lakshmi visits her devotees
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Goddess Lakshmi visits her devotees and bestows gifts and blessings upon each of them. To welcome the Goddess, devotees clean their houses, decorate them with finery and lights, and prepare sweet treats and delicacies as offerings. Devotees believe the happier Lakshmi is with the visit, the more she blesses the family with health and wealth.
2. Different Diwali stories
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Many see Diwali honouring the return of the lord Rama, his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana from exile, as told in the ancient Hindu epic called the Ramayana. To some, Diwali marks the return of Pandavas after 12 years of Vanvas and one year of agyatavas in the other ancient Hindu epic called the Mahabharata. Many other Hindus believe Diwali is linked to the celebration of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and wife of deity Vishnu. The five day festival of Diwali begins on the day Lakshmi was born from the churning of cosmic ocean of milk during the tug of war between the forces of good and forces of evil; the night of Diwali is the day Lakshmi chose Vishnu as her husband and then married him. Some Hindus offer pujas to additional or alternate deities such as Kali, Ganesha, Saraswati, and Kubera. Other Hindus believe that Diwali is the day Vishnu came back to Lakshmi and their abode in the Vaikuntha; so those who worship Lakshmi receive the benefit of her good mood, and therefore are blessed with mental, physical and material well-being during the year ahead. But mostly the festival is considered the return of the Lord Rama and Sita after completing fourteen years in exile.
3. On the day of Diwali, Lord Mahavira attained his Moksha
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In Jainism, Diwali commemorates the anniversary of Lord Mahavir‘s attainment of moksha, or freedom from the cycle of reincarnation, in 527 B.C.E. Lord Mahavir was the 24th and last Thirtankar of Jainism and revitalized the religion as it is today. First referred to in Jain scriptures as dipalikaya, or light leaving the body, it is said that the earth and the heavens were illuminated with lamps to mark the occasion of Lord Mahavir’s enlightenment.
4. Sikhs commonly called Diwali Bandi Chhor Divas
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Diwali, for Sikhs, marks the Bandi Chhor Divas, when Guru Har Gobind Ji freed himself and Hindu Kings, from Fort Gwalior, from the prison of Islamic ruler Jahangir, and arrived at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Ever since then, Sikhs celebrate Bandi Choor Divas, with the annual lighting up of Golden Temple, fireworks and other festivities.
5. It is a national holiday in India, Trinidad & Tobago, Myanmar, Nepal, Mauritius,  Guyana,  Singapore, Suriname, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Fiji. And is an optional holiday in Pakistan.
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Diwali is celebrated around the world, particularly in countries with significant populations of Hindu, Jain and Sikh origin. These include Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Mauritius, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the Netherlands, Canada, the United Kingdom,United Arab Emirates, and the United States. With more understanding of Indian culture and global migration of people of Indian origin, the number of countries where Diwali/Deepavali is celebrated has been gradually increasing. While in some countries it is celebrated mainly by Indian expatriates, in others it is becoming part of the general local culture. In most of these countries Diwali is celebrated on the same lines as described in this article with some minor variations. Some important variations are worth mentioning.
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kaladinkholins · 2 months
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i know i shit talk my country all the time (for good reason cuz the conservativism and religious fundamentalism and rising fascism got this place FUCKED UP).
but sometimes i get reminded why i would never wanna actually emigrate even if i could. because one of the great things about living here is that we have. so many public holidays. because of all the different festivals we celebrate!
like okay we have like the islam-based ones right which are already a few
eid (both eid al-fitr and eid al-adha, so that's already two separate holidays)
prophet muhammad's birthday / mawlid
islamic new year
prophet muhammad's ascension / isra' and mi'raj
and on top of those we also have
lunar new year (AKA chinese new year; a major holiday here. hanging lanterns, ang bao and mandarin oranges galore)
diwali (hindu festival of lights; another major one here. we'd see kolam designs on the floor in plenty public spaces like malls, decorated with oil lamps surrounding it)
thaipusam (tamil hindu festival; another major festival. very religious so devotees pierce their skin and there are big processions)
vesak day (buddhist festival)
christmas day and new years obviously
and that's not counting the independence days (we have two!) and all the stupid monarch's birthdays. like i hate the monarchy but at least they give us public holidays when one of them is the birthday boy. also there are some state-specific holidays as well.
bottom line is. we love our festivals and holidays and we're proud of that shit. and i think that's a funny fuck you to the colonisers who branded us "lazy natives."
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ace-aussie-asshole · 5 months
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This is something I’ve been meaning to ask but keep forgetting.
So, I am moving from Christian holidays to Pagan holidays and while Christmas and Yule have there similarities (*cough* Christians stole for the Pagans *cough*) there are a lot of very distinct differences as well.
Christmas is a holiday on the 25th of December, meant to celebrate Jesus’ birth and family. You would decorate the house and give each other gifts. It is also socially considered very disrespectful to get a Christmas gift for someone that doesn’t celebrate. I’ve known a couple people that didn’t celebrate, and they all seemed to explicitly say they did not even want Christmas cards. Understandable of course, you don’t celebrate, we should all respect that.
But Yule as a holiday celebrates something completely different.
Yule is a holiday to mark the Winter Solstice, and covers around the 23rd of December in the Northern Hemisphere and around the 23rd of June in the Southern Hemisphere. I live in the Southern Hemisphere, so I celebrate Yule in June. It celebrates the relationships you have with your family and community. You would decorate the house with greenery, possibly organise a feast, and gift-giving is also a common tradition. But gift-giving at Yule is a bit different to gift-giving at Christmas.
For one, Yule happens on a different day. For two, Yule gifts are not obligatory. You are not expected to get anyone a physical gift, you are simply expected to show some form of appreciation for the people in your life, often through a gift. A Yule gift is meant to say “you are someone that I care about very much and you are very important to me. I am celebrating the people in my life that matter most, and you are one of those people”. Christmas gifts don’t have that same connotation, they tend to say “it’s Christmas time, and I am expected to get you some form of a gift”.
For people living in the Southern Hemisphere it is probably much easier to separate Yule from Christmas, since they happen six months apart. But even the type of card you might get someone would be different. I Christmas card would say “Merry Christmas” but a Yule card would say “You are important to me”. They differ in more ways than they are similar, and they celebrate completely different things.
So I’m just wondering, do you guys think it’s disrespectful to get a Yule gift for someone that doesn’t celebrate Yule? Because this has me a little baffled. Most of my friends and family celebrate Christmas, and I would be getting them a gift for the middle of June. Even for people that don’t celebrate Christmas either, I’m not sure if a Yule gift would be disrespectful. Because I understand that getting someone a Christmas gift when they don’t celebrate is rude, but a Yule gift is meant to be a sign of appreciation regardless of their differences.
Can someone who doesn’t celebrate Yule, or even doesn’t celebrate Christmas, please present an opinion on this. Obviously, I will ask my friends. I already know that my family is happy to receive Yule gifts, and I will ask my friends separately, but I am curious to know what the general consensus on this would be. Specifically from people that follow the beliefs of Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and any other religion, because most Christmas celebrators seem to be happy to just receive the gifts at a different time of year.
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mariammagsi · 4 months
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Christmas in Pakistan
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Image: Annual traditions of decorating and lighting up the Christmas tree at our family's residence in Karachi, Pakistan. © Mariam Magsi
As an immigrant from Pakistan who has called Canada home for 18 years, whenever the winter holidays come around, I am often asked the following question: Do you celebrate Christmas in Pakistan?
While some folks approach these topics through a lens of othering, others are genuinely curious to know more about my motherland and the kinds of holidays and festivities we celebrate. Despite a rising influx of influencers and white tourists flocking to various provinces of Pakistan, and with a breadth of material available online, for the most part, a lot of folks have no knowledge about the existence of non-Muslim communities in Pakistan, such as Hindu, Christian and Zoroastrian Pakistanis and how their respective religious vernacular has evolved in the region, impacted and shaped by several socio-political and cultural factors.
I must also preface this blog piece by stating, that while there are some communities, clans and families practicing pluralism and religious/cultural diversity in Pakistan, religious minorities continue to face oppression and marginalization by intolerant and hegemonic right-wing forces. I received a firsthand glimpse into this rising intolerance, when several members of my Pakistani community reached out at the end of last year to say that “Muslims should not say Merry Christmas to Christians as it is haram” (unlawful or forbidden). Because I was raised in a pluralistic household, I reject the creation of insular, exclusionary, rigid and polar worlds.
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Image: One of Asia's largest bulletproof crosses, towering over Karachi's only operational Christian cemetery known as Gora Qabristan or "White man's graveyard." © Mariam Magsi
I had the unique privilege of being raised by a Punjabi mother is Punjabi and a Baloch father. They originate from entirely different provincial and cultural backgrounds, and fought very hard to transcend ethnic segregation, race and class to be together, despite several barriers. They struggled with lack of support and financial challenges, and several of their family members were vocally against their Baloch Punjabi union. Still, they persisted, and persevered. Within our home, our caregivers consisted of people from every religious background imaginable, including Hindu and Christian. As the years went by and our family grew, people from the Philippines, Bangladesh and Afghanistan also joined our home. Elders from my paternal Baloch Magsi clan also became important life guides and lived in our house with us. I was offered a healthy, robust exposure to multiple generations and their unique ways of worshiping, eating, dressing and living within the same household.
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Image: My mother, siblings and I traveling through Jhal Magsi, Balochistan, the Philippines and Karachi, Pakistan with our diverse caregivers and family members. © Magsi Family Archives
My siblings and I were enrolled in a Catholic convent school nestled within a British education system. Celebrating Christmas in school was as natural as celebrating Eid. My parents shared close ties with the local and foreign Christian nuns who ran the establishment and had also forged friendships with priests in the clergy. To further illustrate this closeness, one of my sisters was even christened in the chapel at the school. There was a seamless integration of Islam with Christianity, and there was nothing abnormal about it. One could be rooted in their faith of birth, and fluid with faith-based practices. This helped us develop a flexible understanding of faith-based practices and how they are not static, but constantly evolving through contact with environmental influences and encounters.
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Image: Filling out festive greeting cards to be snail mailed to my loved ones. © Mariam Magsi
The days leading up to Christmas were filled with so much excitement. A fresh stack of greeting cards was placed in front of us on the night of Christmas eve, and by the next morning the cards were filled with warm wishes in our writing, ready to be given out with gift packages to all of our loved ones. I remember visiting the local bakery to order fresh, creamy, soft-sponge cakes, crispy chicken patties and marzipans. Then we’d go to the bazaar with our mother to pick out colourful fruit baskets, festive ornaments and a Christmas tree. One year we even found fake snow that came in a can and erupted like silly string. We wore new and sparkly clothes, just like we did on Eid holidays, and made our way to St. Anthony’s church for Christmas mass with our Christian caregivers. We’d sing along with all the hymns, walk up to the priests to get communion, and then zip back around using holy water to cross ourselves. There was nothing odd or other worldly about it. I remember looking around at the congregation and noticing that there were so many people in skirts and dresses in one setting in Pakistan. The sounds of heels clicking away on the glossy floors would echo against the stained glass windows. Women would reach into their glittering, sequined purses and pull out hand-held fans to cool their sweaty brows, while using wrinkled tissue paper to blot their melting, crimson lipstick. After Christmas mass, my siblings, caregivers and I would pile up into our pick-up truck and head straight to school to wish the nuns, and distribute gifts to the clergy.
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Image: A letter from our Christian Pakistani family friends, Ms Theresa and Uncle Gaspar dated November 25th, 1994. This was the first letter they mailed over to our family after their migration to Canada. © Magsi Family Archives
Late Christmas nights were usually spent with family friends Uncle Gaspar and Ms. Theresa in their apartment. The elders gathered around bottles of secretly imported brandy, rum and wine, while us kids dashed to the dessert table ornamented with some of the world’s finest homemade toffee, fudge and cakes made by Ms.Theresa, who was not only my educator, but also very close with my mother. Today, like most other Christian people in our networks, many families have migrated to Canada, UK and USA for higher income opportunities, safety and religious freedom. Many of these migrations began in the 90s and year after year, our festive celebrations and get-togethers grew smaller with more and more Christian Pakistanis leaving the country on a permanent basis.
One of my closest paternal aunts is American with Nicaraguan roots. When she arrived in Pakistan from the USA to join our family, she brought with her many American holiday traditions that became the norm in our homes over Christmas time. Every December, Chachi (paternal aunt) Carmen opened her doors to all of the family’s children for tree decoration traditions, stuffed turkey with mashed potatoes and merrymaking.
Chinese and Pinoy foods were also a regular feature on our festive dinner tables. Our primary caregiver, Ate (older sister) Flordeliza Sauza introduced us to many foods from her motherland, such as, Pancit, Chicken Adobo and Siopao, which we greatly enjoyed especially over festive, winter holidays. Though Ate Liza, as we lovingly know her, identifies as Catholic, she seamlessly adopted many Muslim faith-based practices as well. She not only prayed with us on Fridays, but she also participated in Zikr (meditative chanting of the 99 names of Allah in Arabic). On Sundays, we went to church with her.
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Image: Lighting candles at an Orthodox monastery in Milton, Ontario in memory of our deceased loved ones. © Mariam Magsi
After my marriage to a person from the Balkans, my own awareness and knowledge about Christmas has expanded. After all, we were primarily exposed to Catholicism in Pakistan. Though my husband converted to Islam and now identifies as Muslim, he was born in an Orthodox Christian family, and we have chosen to carry on many of the beautiful Christmas and Easter traditions he was raised with. January 7th is Orthodox Christmas. We usually start the day by making a trip to the monastery and light candles for our deceased loved ones in honour of their memory. Traditionally, on Orthodox Christmas eve, people place “badnjak” (oak tree branches) into a fire, but because this isn’t possible in urban households, a community center or monastery is usually designated for the ritual. Of the many food traditions I have observed and adopted from my beloved’s mother, one of my favourites is hiding coins, cloves and other items in bread to signify luck, wealth and health. The bread is baked fresh, and the entire family comes around the dinner table to break into it. Everyone receives a portion of the bread, usually with a symbolic item hidden inside that will signify the trajectory of the year pertaining to health and good fortune.
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Image: My beloved, Gordan Sumanski and I, celebrating Catholic and Orthodox Christmas in our home in Toronto. © Mariam Magsi
Holidays Mubarak! Merry Christmas!
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Image: Allah engraved in Arabic on wood, an Orthodox crucifix rosary from Egypt and a Turkish evil eye installed on the entrance wall of our home in Toronto. © Mariam Magsi
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professional-termite · 5 months
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Actually, do you think the museum would get decorated during Christmas or Hanukkah?
Or any holiday really.
-NATM anon
i think larry would try to avoid putting little figurines up of important christian/jewish/islamic figures, or even snowmen/rabbits/reindeer/jack-o'-lanterns, because theyd have to get brought to life for a limited time and then die again. hed try to avoid suffering as much as possible
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astranva · 1 year
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I’m really curious why Muslims don’t celebrate Christmas? If you don’t want to answer it’s completely fine :) and I hope you have a great day
well in a nutshell, Christmas is a religious celebration for Christianity that has religious roots that don’t align with Islamic beliefs. so we might not celebrate it, but it’s also not unusual to find muslims enjoying the festivity of the holiday. like santa claus-themed parties, candy, some decorations, but we mostly associate it with the new year’s than the religious holiday.
it’s kind of like Eid to us. while Christians don’t celebrate Eid, you might still find some who enjoy the festivity of it with its desserts, the concept of getting new clothes and dressing up, etc.
i hope that makes sense. have a wonderful day and a merry christmas if you celebrate, my love 💖
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tulipsbymybed · 1 year
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Well I'm glad you got to have some shut eye. I just finished watching Lady and the Tramp (it was ABSOLUTELY SWEET I FEEL LIKE CRYING) and after hearing your testimony on ST season 4 I'm starting to think that maybe I should've saved the movie to deal with the scary ride that is Stranger Things.
I will trust you and take your advice on sandwiching the episodes (though I do get more and more concerned with how well I'll take the ending of season 4 BECAUSE if we're anything alike I will be bawling my eyes as well c: )
Also, I feel so excited for your Christmas traditions! Here, we don't really have that much of a Christmas tradition (or at least my family doesn't seem to have one in particular). Partly because here people believe it's haram - an Arabic term which means impermissible or unlawful in Islam- to celebrate Christmas if they're not Christian (and do keep in mind that about 86.7% of my country's population holds Islam as their religion). The other big factor is probably because Christmas is not commercialized as much, or at least not as much as it used to a decade ago (due to some political things happening which I don't think I can get into).
And I feel like I'm not quite hyped for Christmas this year, as my family has given up on setting up a 🎄 family tree 🎄(we used to always decorate our Christmas tree in the living room), and they've no plans in giving gifts-let alone wrapping them- as far as I'm aware.
But I guess it's been a hard year for everybody, including my family so I can't complain much about the weakening of the Christmas spirit. Though there is a persisting tradition in which my family always attend the night before Christmas mass. Woo-hoo! :")
I DO think that I might get me and my family members a little present 🎁, and I may have to come up with something soon as it's only about 5 days until Christmas comes so yes, I'm struggling on finding a decent gift...
Speaking of gifts, I think you being here is an absolute present to a lot of us who needs the fluff to accompany us with the chilling season. So, I am thankful that I've found you and this blog! (Is this what Thanksgiving feels like? They don't really celebrate Thanksgiving in my country).
Ooh and also I think that meeting up with all your family and colleagues sounds utterly delightful! It must be great to be able to share all the joy and the things people got to experience this year. Hope you have a wonderful holiday! 💗
-💞
And why do I feel as if we're writing letters back and forth to each other? I honestly love writing letters as I always give my friends and family a letter on their birthday or other big events going on in their life. EEEEP IM SO EXCITED RIGHT NOW!
I haven’t seen that movie in years!!!! And yeah seriously the last ep had me bawling my eyes out
Ah that’s fair enough about Christmas then, do you wish it was different or no?
Ooooo what do you think the present might be? I don’t know how creative you are but I often make presents, baking, sewing, ceramics etc
I’m a gift? you are KIDDING I’m so flattered but it cannot be true. nay! And yeah thanksgiving is not a thing for me either, not sure I get the big deal but it is what it is 🤷🏻‍♀️
I hope you have a wonderful holiday as well! It does feel like writing letters it’s adorable!!!!
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