Christmastime is here, and its traditions have become secular as much as they are religious.
Heres how to show goodwill without trampling someone elses beliefs.
Pew research shows that70% of Americans adhere to some form of Christian faithand most Americans celebrate Christmas.
However, the mingling of thereligious and secularcan make it feel tricky to include your friends of other faiths.
Christian and secular children get a truckload of presents, soJewish families started giving gifts as well.
Its important that non-Jewish families dont interpret this trend to mean that Hanukkah is just Jewish Christmas.
Purim is traditionally more of a gift giving holiday in my opinion than Hanukkah.
That said there is no reason not to give gifts…
In general I would avoid religious or non-kosher gifts unless they are specifically requested.
For non-food gifts, staying away from religious themes should be easy.
Star Wars action figures are pretty religion-agnostic, for example.
Note that not every household will recognize every agencys symbol as valid, so ask before you buy anything.
Some individuals may not care that much, but when in doubt, go neutral.
This means that from a religious perspective Christmas isnt really a holiday.
Unlike Judaism, Islam doesnt have a major holiday definitively set in December.
It typically comes down to individuals deciding for themselves how they define celebrating the holiday.
That may look like different things for different people.
For example, I do not buy a Christmas tree or decorate my home.
However, during the holidays there are often charity drives through different organizations.
Once again, giving gifts is up to the individual, but its best to avoid specifically religious gifts.
While Christians and Muslims disagree on particular religious points, both faiths value charity, generosity, and kindness.
Everyones faith (or lack thereof) is very personal and differences should be both respected and celebrated.
Keep in mind that having a non-Christian faith can be isolating during the winter holidays.
Illustration by Angelica Alzona.
Photos byScott,Mohd Tarmizi, andCaitlin Regan.
