Ok, I repent of that substandard blog. Having had a nap now, I can try to make amends for the aforesaid lameness in blogitude.

People sometimes ask me how our inter-faith household has dealt with holidays. Between having a Christian mom and a Muslim dad, our house has both Iftar parties and Easter Dinner, and last year, Christmas was in Ramadan.

Now, I am in no way advocating the idea that Muslims should celebrate Christian holidays. But, in my house, it wouldn’t be right for anyone to forbid my mother from celebrating her holidays and us helping her. So how does it work out? Strangely.

After years of assorted inter-faith holiday seasons, things start getting mixed around. Christmas dinner is served after Iftar, and no Ramadan would be complete without gingerbread men and fruitcake. Actually, I’ve already made the gingerbread men, and since my momma isn’t here to whack me when I start taking artistic license, the gingerbread men now come in two themes, _-Pirates and Punjabis-_. (click for the tasty photo!)

We may skip the fruitcakes, but we have already starting singing the carols. Yep. Ramadan carols. Family favorites like,

(to the tune of Deck the Halls)
Fill the glasses with Roohafaza
Ta-na-na-na-na, Dheem-ta-na-na!

(to the tune of Frosty the Snowman)
Greasy Pakoras!
In a jolly, happy bowl
With the besan mix
And the deep-fry ghee
And some ketchup and chut-NEY!

Additionally, we get this nagging feeling that some guy with a beard is supposed to come down the chimney on Eid to put peppermint miswaks into the leather socks hanging from the mantle. I can’t remember his name, but I know he’s the same guy who chases reindeer around with a knife on Eidul-Azha.

Rudolph the Eid Qurbani…

posted by Abez @ 10/26/2003 06:35:00 PM