MidlandToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is in response to a column titled, “There is no war on Christmas,” published Dec. 8.
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I absolutely agree with the author, Shawn Gibson, that greeting someone during this time of the year with “season’s greetings” or “happy holidays” is fair play.
Growing up in Hamilton in the ’90s, we were only accustomed to singing Christmas carols/songs during assemblies and wishing each other merry Christmas. It was just something we did.
I still recall my first Halloween (Grade 1) in Canada in 1992, where the teachers took me aside and put on a butterfly costume so that I could participate in the Halloween parade. In hindsight it was confusing and completely unwarranted — being taught different religious values and morals at home, but being compelled to do something else at school.
I am an Ahmadi Muslim and the only religious festivals we celebrate are Eids, Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. It feels great being greeted with “season’s greetings” or “happy holidays” by strangers because it shows they understand that it is a festive season but not everyone shares the same celebration of Christmas. I also greet my Christian friends with “merry Christmas” because I want to show that I care and respect them. Likewise, I feel happy when non-Muslims wish me “Eid Mubarak.”
My community, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, shows great love and respect to all religious celebrations. Love for all, hatred for none, is the motto of our community and we have a deep sense of acceptance, tolerance and inclusivity.
Sairah Chaudhary
Alliston
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