Assalamu Alaikum AND Merry Christmas?

True Story: When I was a child, like most children, I embraced all things Christmas. All the songs, folklore, and enchantment of the season was of interest to me. I was a goner. In fact, the holiday season could not come fast enough. If you think Macy's is bad!...I would start thinking about Christmas time immediately following Indian Summer.

Somewhere along the years, however, the joy of the season gave way to competitive materialism among peers, and creeping anxiety in the family over what to buy and whom to buy for. As a young man, seeking knowledge, wisdom and understanding, I swore off falsehood and fantasy in pursuit of 'true knowledge of self.' That meant that Santa Claus would have to go the way of the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and Sandman. Besides, those stories about Christ and were not lining up with history as I was slowing coming to learn it.


Later, when my adulthood morphed into a raging bachelorhood and all my siblings were grown, I opted out of traditional Christmas time activities. Later still, enters Islam, and there is no point in celebrating at all...Down came the trees and out went the cache of assorted bobbles, and holiday cards. I must admit, I still enjoyed the start of the season though; glad that others were celebrating it. The coming holiday always brought out the best in people -- if only for a little while. Besides, its more of a cultural festival than a profoundly religious exercise for most people anyway...Right?


Fast forward ten or twelve years later with more knowledge wisdom and understanding to draw upon, and stronger in my own faith, I am cool with Christmas time again. I prefer to take a global view of things. If Diwali and Ramadan demonstrate the goodwill and civility of Hindus and Muslims, then Christmas time should be equally received for its goodwill by Westerners. Those who believe, or just like to celebrate the season.

Happy Holidays!