Tips To Navigate Christmas As Muslim Parent

With Christmas just around the corner and the celebratory spirit being at all-time high around this time of the year, Muslim families, especially kids can feel pressured. Our children often face questions like “is it allowed to celebrate Christmas in Islam?’, “do Muslims celebrate Christmas or not?”, and “why Muslims don’t put up Christmas tree and lights?” It’s often harder on kids when they see their Muslim friends celebrating Christmas. How do you navigate Christmas as Muslim parent?

It is very easy to fall in for the glam and glitz of Christmas. As Muslims living in the west, we learn and adapt to many western practices but there are many that are unacceptable in the Islamic culture. Often, for Muslim parents, it is a trial. We, as Muslims parents often wonder which winter festivities our kids can join in at school or in their social circle and which they should not? It is extremely important that we differentiate between the acceptable and non-acceptable practices in light of the Quran and the sunnah of the Prophet (saw).

So, how as a Muslim parent can you navigate Christmas, talk to your child about Christmas and install the love of Islamic values and practices into the next generation? I am no expert, but here’s what we follow as a Muslim family during Christmas.

Be Firm About Why You Don’t Celebrate Christmas

We have firmly explained to our child, from a very early age, that we don’t celebrate Christmas. Christmas is not one of our holidays just like Ramadan and the 2 Eids that are not celebrated by her Christian, Hindu or Jewish friends. Remind them of the Muslim holidays. Emphasize to your child(ren) how they have the 2 days of Eids to celebrate. Celebrate and make the Islamic holidays extra special so they are proud of their religion and Muslim identity!

We also emphasize how we don’t do things just because everyone else is doing it. Just like how we don’t eat everything (other than halal), we don’t celebrate everything. As a result, my daughter is very comfortable not fitting in and proud of being who she is. Year after year, she has been comfortable explaining her differences at school to friends, teachers and others around her. She is quick to point out that she doesn’t celebrate or receive gifts during Christmas for the same reason her friends don’t celebrate Ramadan or get gifts/eidi on the 2 days of Eid.

Mosque Light Source

Masjid decorative light

Teach Them To Be Kind Towards Others

In Islam, all mankind are created equal, The Quran clearly specifies –

O mankind, We have created you male and female, and appointed you races and tribes, that you may know one another. Surely the noblest among you in the sight of God is the most god fearing of you. God is All-knowing, All-aware.

– Quran 49.13

Prophet Muhammad (saw.) always promoted peace, tolerance and compassion for all, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. He(saw) also laid down the foundations of religious tolerance to provide legal and constitutional protections for non Muslims.

With that in mind, as our neighbors, friends and coworkers get ready to celebrate Christmas, teach and reemphasize with your child the importance of building bridges between us, Muslims, and those who practices different religions and cultures.

Teach them to be kind to everyone. Which means, they don’t go around and tell friends that Santa isn’t real because that’s being disrespectful towards their belief. Teach them, they can join in any act of kindness activities.

Another acts of kindness can be to not ignore when someone greets “merry christmas”. Even though we don’t celebrate Christmas, we have verified with our Imam that there is no harm in saying, “Happy Holidays” in response.

Encourage your child(ren) to read, or read together the stories of the life of the Prophet Muhammad(saw), The Miraculous birth and life of of Prophet Isa(as), and other inspiring stories of the many prophets. Doing so from an early age opens the mind of your child, and they learn how Islam encourages to respect and foster a love for the whole community.

Teach The Similarities And The Differences

Most importantly, teach your child about our similarities by highlighting that we believe in Jesus a.k.a Prophet Isa (as) and believe in him wholeheartedly. Believing in the prophets is the fourth article of faith. Therefore, believing and respecting all prophets is part of our faith.

Prophet Isa (as) is mentioned 25 times and his mother, Maryam a.s. (Mary) 34 times in the holy Quran. In fact, a whole chapter of the Holy Quran is dedicated to Maryam (as) in Surah Maryam, chapter 19. The chapter provides detailed accounts of the miraculous birth of Prophet Isa (as).

However, also teach them that we differ in the opinion that Jesus is the son of God. That’s shirk. In Islam, assigning partners to Allah swt is shirk, one of the gravest of sins. As Muslim parents, explain to your older children that by celebrating Christmas we are actually agreeing to Jesus being the son of god which goes against the most fundamental teachings that form the foundation of Islam.

On the question of the validity of the date of birth of Jesus, both the Quran and the Bible provide ample evidence that the birth of Jesus was not in winter.

Respect, Honor, and Establish Peace

Openly talk to your child, clear up any doubts that your child may have when it comes to Islam, other religions, and the different cultural beliefs they are exposed to. Converse with them and always encourage them to share their thoughts and experiences at school and their social circles. Always keep in mind that love and peace are the keys. Teach them to be kind and loving to all the creations of Allah.

These have helped our Muslim family navigate Christmas and hope these tips are helpful to nip that nagging feeling of “missing out” in the buds during the winter holidays. Do you have any tips to share on how your family goes about around during the winter holidays?

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