A new tradition!

Although I was born and raised a Muslim, from an early age Christmas was a joyful and important celebration in our family. Like many families we spent most of December buying, wrapping and hiding presents. Back in the Sudan we had a large outdoor Christmas tree in a prominent part of the main garden and every year we decorated it with bright colourful lights. Decorating the tree was an annual event that we all enjoyed and looked forward to.

In Khartoum most clubs and hotels used to hold lavish dinner parties with great music and dance on Christmas Eve, it was an opportunity for everyone to get together and celebrate the Season. Some repeated the whole process the following week for New Year’s Eve. Reservations for the two events in the best and popular clubs and hotels were sometimes a race against time since most good tables will be reserved before October.

When we moved to the UK we carried on celebrating in more or less the same manner, lots of food, presents and families gathering eating and having a good time. Even though we never had to observe the religious aspect of Christmas (going to church and praying) we were always fully aware of the importance and significance of Christmas as a religious occasion. This tradition was passed on to us (the children) by our parents just as it was passed down to them by their parents.

Last year my girls and I tried out a slightly different celebration. Hoping to maybe start a new tradition we decided to do something different and celebrate the ‘Reason but not the Season’. We had a tree with all the decorations, but exchanged no presents, bought a reasonable amount of food for the event (not enough to feed an army like the previous years) and spend the day focused on each other. We spend the day reflecting on all the blessings and wonderful things we should be grateful for, remembered my father (who passed away earlier that year) and talked about his kind and selfless deeds, we played games, cards and watched movies. We basically did all the things we usually do every Christmas just did not over indulge, or spend hours searching, planning and preparing, or worst spend the whole day over eating then feel guilty and complain about it for a year. We treated the day like another day off but with a difference. The difference was to give thanks to all things we were grateful for in 2008.

A couple of days ago my girls announced that they prefer it if this year we have the same Christmas we had last year, because it was more fun, relaxed and they enjoyed it. I guess we are embarking on a new tradition, a tradition as old as Christmas itself but some how was lost along the way. Season Greetings and a Happy New Year to everyone!