Christmas has been banned in England! Or so claimed a recent front-page story in the Daily Express, which read: “Christmas is banned: It offends Muslims.” The story was based on the ‘news’ that the Lambeth Council in London had ‘banned’ Christmas, by changing their Christmas lights’ displays to “Winter Lights”.
It was suggested that this was one more, sinister, example of British ‘culture’ being buried, in order to accommodate non-Christian cultures. However, despite all the hot air, the re-naming of the lights turned out to be just a simple administrative error. “It’s absolutely ridiculous,” explained a bemused spokesman for the Council. “The usual Christmas tree will be up in the Town Hall, the usual Christmas carols will be sung and we’re looking forward to the Christmas lights being switched on.”
Fortunately, so far at least, Ireland has escaped hysterical claims that different cultures’ attitudes or practices at Christmas represent a ‘threat’ to the traditional Irish celebration of Christmas. But what will the Polish, Romanian, Filipino and African communities here in Ireland do around December 25th? And how do Muslims and Jews – religions for whom the Christ myth is no more than that – view the festivities?
In an interesting display of multiculturalism, midnight mass will be held in various churches across Ireland, in Romanian, Polish, Portuguese, Chinese and African languages. There is a strong Catholic tradition in Romania and on Christmas day the kids in the community here will go out early in the morning and sing carols, as is traditional in Romania, with mass to follow. The Filipino community – who seem to take these things very seriously indeed – attend a nightly mass from the 15th of December right up to Christmas day. A special Christmas midnight mass for that community will take place in the Church at Bachelors Walk. Marlon Bayona works in the ‘Alto’ Philippine shop on Middle Abbey St. in Dublin. He is looking forward to the upcoming festivities. “There will be quite a few Philippine Christmas parties in workplaces, especially in hospitals, where a lot of the nurses are from the Philippines,” he says. “But in the Philippines, all the families get together to celebrate at home, so most Filipinos try to go home at Christmas.”
Christmas celebrations among the African communities – many of whom are Christian – include family reunions, praying and going to dancing carnivals. However, the African samba lovers amongst you will be disappointed to hear that there are no such carnivals planned for Ireland this Christmas.
For obvious reasons, the Jewish community doesn’t celebrate Christmas at all. To a large extent, they ignore it, using the holidays for family activities and trips away. However, Dr. Maria Diemling, a lecturer in Jewish studies in Trinity College Dublin, says that commercial pressures associated with Christmas are creating an interesting debate within the Jewish community.
“There is now a ‘December dilemma’,” she explains. “It’s about avoiding confusion for Jewish children, who do not celebrate Christmas, but are, of course – in Western society – exposed to all things Christmas. So gifts are exchanged at Jewish celebrations, such as Hannukkah, although it does not reach the huge commercialisation and social pressure of Christmas.”
‘Hanukkah’, a minor Jewish holiday celebrated in late November, was never, until recently, viewed as being of real importance. But there have been attempts by mass marketers to inflate it as the “Jewish alternative” to Christmas. So now you can buy “Hanukkah bushes” and even a “Smiley Shalom,” a Jewish version of “Frosty the Snowman”...
Abdul Hasseeb is the administrator in the Islamic Centre on the South Circular Road. He explains that, as with the Jewish religion, Muslims do not celebrate Christmas. During the 20th century, Christmas became a time of global celebration. But Abdul believes that there is hypocrisy on the part of western governments that promote the idea of a snowy happy Christmas where gifts are given to those in need, yet drop parcels of a different kind on the innocent of Iraq. In fact, the only trace of a white Christmas in Iraq this year will be US-sponsored white phosphorus.
He also believes that consumerism has taken over the essence of festive seasons. “Capitalists are always on the look out for a reason to extract hard earned cash from the common people,” he explains. “They sell them a glamorous life style, at the beginning of which is supposed to be happiness, but either way ends up with indebtedness. We rarely question the reasons behind our beliefs and deeds. We tend to follow traditions like sheep, without thinking about the consequences of our actions, and without questioning the reasons behind certain traditions or cultural habits. And therefore, good habits and practices are slowly eroded and we follow our desires endlessly, at whatever cost.”
Migrants and asylum seekers find it especially tough at Christmas because often – whether for financial reasons or the lack of travel documents – they cannot return home to be with their families.
Ovidiu, a member of the Romanian Community, explains: “Immigrants have an extra feeling of sadness being far away from their family and friends, and that is very difficult.”
Many Polish workers here in Ireland had intended to return home – but with the price of flights skyrocketing beyond the reach of most, they now face the choice of staying or taking a 2-day bus journey to get home.
Anna Pas, from Poland, is 24 years of age and works here as a freelance journalist. She says that many Polish people will also stay in Ireland because they have to work over Christmas, in bars, pubs, restaurants and hotels.
“For them, there will be a few special events,” she reveals. “There is a special Christmas eve mass in Dublin City Centre, a dinner in the Polish Embassy and music, gifts and a Polish Christmas lottery in Chaplin’s Bar, on December 17th, which should be fun. The most important day for us is Christmas Eve (Wigilia in Poland), when we have a very special dinner, with 12 traditional dishes – and after dinner we open the presents.”
Christmas is something Christian – an asylum seeker from Nigeria – doesn’t want to even contemplate. His sister died in June of this year and his mother has just had a stroke. Despite this, he’s still not allowed to travel home. From the Delta State in Nigeria, a major source of Nigeria’s oil revenue, Christian campaigned for oil revenue to be invested in the poor. His sister, who supported the campaign, was assassinated in 2001. He himself was imprisoned and tortured for four months and on his release was convinced by his family to flee Nigeria. Since arriving in Ireland four years ago he has tried hard to rebuild his life, but has the threat of deportation constantly hanging over him.
“I can’t get the papers to go home,” he says despairingly. “I am very unhappy, almost destroyed, because I don’t know if I will see my mother again. Christmas is a family time at home in Nigeria but here I am, facing deportation. It will be a very lonely time for me.”
Peter, also from Nigeria, believes that the Irish should start opening their doors to people like Christian. “I am going to invite at least five asylum seekers to my home,” he says. “Christmas should be all about sharing.”
However, it’s not just the inability to return home that makes Christmas difficult for some people. The pressure to buy toys and lavish food is inescapable.
“Unfortunately most people in Africa can’t celebrate Christmas ‘cos they just can’t afford to buy gifts for their loved ones due to poverty,” Peter says.
“I have met people in Africa who say they hate Christmas. Only the rich can afford to put up a Christmas tree and take their kids to Santa. 95% percent of Africans only dream of Christmas.”