Comments | ljbahai: Christmas Delimma

thecommanderdia in ljbahai

Christmas Delimma

Dec 23, 2010 07:01

I find myself in a bit of a delimma. My wife and I seem to be at odds regarding the celebration or observation of Christmas.

We both became baha'is a couple of years ago. She was Christian, while I was an Atheist. For me, once I left the Christian faith, Christmas ceased to be a big part of my life. I would send my mother and grandparents a ( Read more... )

baha'i

Comments 4

sholeh December 23 2010, 15:39:53 UTC

My mother's family is Baha'i, and my father became a Baha'i in college so his family was all sort-of Christian. Sometimes we would go to my grandparent's house during the holidays, but my parents asked my grandparents to give us presents during Ayyam-i-Ha, and they always did. I don't expect every family to do this, but it was very nice to compromise this way. And now, as an adult, I try to reach out to my non-Baha'i family around this time of the year, as I respect that this is their tradition ( ... )

fresita December 23 2010, 17:22:32 UTC

I agree with what Sholeh said. I grew up not really ever celebrating Christmas but always craving to have my own home and be able to go all out. My husband and I both are semi-new Baha'is (three and four years) and I put up a tree the year we got married, decorated the house, put up lights, but gave no gifts... I got it out of my system, and now I'm fine with it ( ... )

thecommanderdia December 23 2010, 20:50:40 UTC

Thank you all for the comments and suggestions. I think ultimately, once we have moved a little further into the year and away from the holiday, it will be easier to sit down and consult with each other on the issue. Right now we are too wrapped up in the holiday and the events surrounding it to really get enough emotional distance from the issue in order to consult effectively ( ... )

Christmas, etc. anonymous February 6 2011, 20:14:47 UTC

I've been Baha'i for over forty years, I have four children and four grandchildren (so far). I have Never given any of them a Christmas present and never intend to. My children look forward to Ayyam-i-Ha every year. My family of birth sometimes gets together for Christmas, sometimes not. When I was a child it was a BIG deal - the only time the house was decorated for anything. I lived for Christmas. I gave it up. I don't miss it ( ... )