I grew up in a Muslim household, so I do not celebrate Christmas. My religion however, has taught me that other religions should be respected. For example, to greet those who celebrate the holidays with the preferred greetings. I buy my friends Christmas gifts because I respect their beliefs and would like to celebrate with them. The holidays also remind me of Eid. Eid is an Islamic holiday, where families gather together and eat or go out. And from what I have learned from most Christmas movies, the holidays are about family and the people who care about each other. The holidays are truly the most wonderful time of the year.
New York City is usually loud, smelly and crowded. However, during the Holidays, the aura in New York changes drastically. It’s still loud, smelly and even more crowded. But, I feel like people become more joyful and happy. The lights and decorations make the city look beautiful. I especially love to walk through the city, with decorations in the background while it is snowing. It makes me feel like I am in some fancy music video.
I also have a tradition with my friends during the holidays. We go out and find the fanciest hot chocolate in the city. And then we go see the infamous Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center.
The holidays come with many perks. Such as the many sales that stores put up. I buy everything I want for 40 to 50 percent off. Thank you, gift-giving season. The best part is that most of the stuff I purchase is for me. It also comes with days off from work or school. In high school, I used to count the days until Christmas break came. And, most places are closed. So mostly everyone gets the day off to be with their families or to just have a relaxing day. Another perk specifically for me, is that I get the day off and do not have to share my room.
Christmas music is a big deal to everyone. They are so catchy and very easy to memorize. My favorites are "Baby, It’s Cold Outside" and "Last Christmas". Watching Christmas movies are also a very important tradition for my sister and I. We watch Home Alone and Home Alone 2 at least once during the Holidays. And we joke about how unrealistic the movie is.
However, I do notice that during this time not all holidays are represented. For example, everything is about Christmas. You do not see much representation on Hanukkah, Kwanza or other holidays typically held in December. Like I did not know what Kwanza was until very recently. So, I feel like there should be more open discussions about other holidays. If we find out more about other people and their beliefs, there would be more understanding in the world.
