As cheerful this time of the year is, there are many of us who don’t celebrate the magical Holiday. Here are typical thoughts of a Muslim whilst undergoing Christmas;
We tend to begin the holiday with the typical everyday annoyed Irish Student,
“You don’t see us getting six weeks off for Eid tut tut”, *Insert Raise of Eyebrows*.
I know right, WTF!? No no , not that kind of WTF, I’m talking about ‘Wallahi Too Funny’. Gets me every time.
It wouldn’t be Chrimbo without the constant changing of channels due to repetitive Christmas classics.
You’d be surprised how aggressive Home Alone sounds in Arabic. Look don’t get me wrong, we LOVE Christmas. You think they’d turn down a work bonus back home, hell nahhhhh!!!
Xmas decorations, of course, the streets of Dublin look amazing. They replicate the same back home, we use flashlights every time the electricity goes out. Xmas dinner – turkey is a must, except it comes in the shape of a kebab wrapped in naan bread. Perks of being Muslim is you can crack these kinds of jokes and for it to not be frowned upon!
My dad always had queries about how to celebrate Christmas, here’s his attempt;
We call him, “Bobba Christmas”.
How come we don’t get Aladdin on TV during Ramadan? Why are you eating little people? How is Santa in Liffey Valley and Stephens Green at the same time with children on his lap? All questions being the unanswered confusions of Arabs year in year out.
And finally, whether you’re Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or whatever the religion may be that you possess, this is a time of the year enjoyed and respected by all. It is a blessing to be in a country where we can see how greatly appreciated this festive season is.
For now folks, focus on your studies and have an amazing time spent with family and friends.
