Santa

Non-Christians who like Christmas..How to raise kids?

My husband and I both grew up in homes that celebrate Christmas. Neither one of us are Christian and my husband actually converted to Islam in college. Despite this, we both enjoy the tree, carols, and gift giving with family around the holidays. We do not have children yet, but I am concerned about how to raise them when we do given our spiritual beliefs while our families still celebrate Christmas. I have always wanted to begin traditions of Kwanza, but wonder if it will be the same and believe it will still be difficult when extended family does Christmas...any suggestions?

Public Comments

1. I am agnostic atheist and we celebrate the secular Christmas. Trees, decorations and presents...all that is from pagan origins. Many church leaders over the years actually resented the idea of Santa and Christmas tree saying it takes away from the true christian meaning of Christmas. Christmas is a secular holiday and anyone who says otherwise is truly ignorant to history. In fact, it couldn't be considered a national holiday if it wasn't secular. So let the kids enjoy it.
2. celebrate capitalistmas.
3. Christmas is not only celebrated by Christians and it's origins are in the Winter Solstice, not religion. Read a book about it, I read a short one to my kids and they understand now that what we celebrate during "Christmas" is just a series of traditions accumulated over the years.... all dating back to the Winter Solstice celebrations. Once you understand this, I'm sure you'll find it easy to continue celebrating it... just along those lines. We aren't Christians either, btw.
4. Worship Santa, or something.
5. Why not? Its fun. Just say its for fun.
6. I'm atheist, my wife is a Jewish atheist, and we have two children. My son, who's 4, has just played a sheep in his school nativity play. He was great. He tells the story about the journey to Bethlehem and the inns being full and whatnot. And all that's fine with me. Because he also tells the stories of Wallace and Gromit going to the moon, of his favourite characters in books and fantasies with his friends and fictional characters. These are good stories - we all thrive on stories. The nativity story is an important part of Jewish and Christian folklore. Christianity is the most important ideology of the last 2,000 years - it's not possible to understand the majority of art and literature without knowing something about it. So I'd say let your children enjoy the Christmases you give them. Don't hold back on anything, except the truth. That these stories are doubtful, partial, and exemplary. And that that doesn't matter.
7. Hi, Snooks... Welcome to Islam. Actually, it doesn't matter for both of you to enjoy the tree and gift giving around the Christmas. But not to enjoy the carols. Why? Because for the Christian,the carols means prays. So if we follow such tradition (sing the carols) it means that we pray to the God of them, too. And it is not allowed in Islam, as we known : your religion is for you yourself, and also mine. In Islam we know the word "hijrah" or "move". Rasulullah saw, moved from Mekka to Madina to get a better life in Islamic atmosphere. Insya Allah, your kids will be proud of you because of the Islamic atmosphere you give them...'coz it will support their way of thinking of this life. Thank u.
8. Well, Christmas actually has nothing to do with Christianity, its a Pagan holiday, at least all the fun stuff.
9. My family are practicing Catholics. I'm Pagan. I celebrate Yule with my friends and celebrate Christmas (as a commercial holiday) with my family. Like many other people in this country you can celebrate Christmas, focusing on the spirit of the season and not the religious side of it. I do. If you explain to your family that you want to share Christmas with them but do not want them to focus on the religious aspects of the holiday, out of respect for your beliefs, I'm sure they will be as accommodating to your wishes as my family is to mine.