| Feature Item |
| What do you really want for Christmas? Thu 23 Dec 2004 |
| `Do we want a country, which increasingly celebrates a secular Christmas, the one with all the religious bits left out and all the consumerism left in, or do we want something which is a bit closer to the ideal?' |
The last few days before Christmas are upon us and the streets are filled with shoppers, twinkling lights and festive decorations. At work one of my colleagues brought in an Advent calendar at the beginning of December and since then we have been taking it in turns to open a door, read the next instalment of the Nativity and pop a chocolate in our mouths. Each morning we have a debate about whether the calendar is accurate, what we remember of the Nativity story, and I put in my bit about the Islamic account of the birth and life of Jesus. It's a way we can all join in with the Christmas festivities, which are going on around us, but also put a more thoughtful slant on the whole affair.
Being a Muslim at Christmas can be a bit of a minefield. Do you give cards? Do you give presents? Do you wish people a Merry Christmas? Do you go to the office party/ lunch? What about your children, if you have them? How far do you let them get involved? Do you buy the BandAid 20 record? At other times of the year, apart from a few Easter eggs, which are really your usual consumption of chocolate, just in a different shape, you can get a way with not having to acknowledge Christian festivals in a `secular Christian' country.
However, at Christmas time, all the forces are conspiring to force you to get involved in the mad rush to max out your credit cards, send Christmas cards to people you hardly ever speak to during the rest of the year, and track down a turkey at the local halal butchers, ('just to see what it tastes like, you know'), and the inexplicable desire to consume large amounts of brussel sprouts (never a good idea).
But stop a minute and listen to the undercurrents: the growing noises about how Christmas is becoming too materialistic, the pressure on women to turn into Delia Smith or Nigella Lawson for the day, the campaigns in America about `putting the Christ back into Christmas', the reaction against booze-soaked festivities and on the spot fines for drunken revellers who puke in the streets.
What can we, as Muslims, bring to this debate? We are in a unique position amongst the faith communities in this country to promote the true message of Christ from a religious standpoint. Do we want a country, which increasingly celebrates a secular Christmas, the one with all the religious bits, left out, and all the consumerism left in, or do we want something which is a bit closer to the ideal? A time when the life and miracles of Christ are celebrated, families come together, charities receive increased donations, and the homeless get a roof over their heads and a hot meal, even if only for a few days?
I know which I'd prefer.
Shabana Khan |
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