What the Holidays Mean to Us
By Ras H. Siddiqui
Sacramento, CA
The two Eids have passed and so has Thanksgiving during which the turkey, marinated with cayenne peppers and various tandoori spices (of course), was consumed and appreciated once again this year. In our family you can tell when the immigrant from South Asia has finally become an American, and it is not through their citizenship papers alone. It is through the final acceptance of consuming halal (Muslim Kosher) turkey, marinated and cooked to our taste, after years of insistence from our very American (born) kids that we need to observe the traditions of the land where we live.
In my case this romance with American holidays started reluctantly during the 1970’s and has developed steadily since. My first exposure to Thanksgiving and Christmas was at two homes in Silicon Valley; one at the head of the department of the school which I attended at the time at San Jose State and the other at the warm family home of what is now a well-known political family of the area. I can also remember when these holidays were an odd and lonely time for us foreign students from South Asia. And turkey was something that we ourselves did not know how to cook or consume (since in our specific Muslim case, a holiday ham was out of question).
What I do remember about the early days is that many of our friends left to join their families and we on numerous such occasions had nowhere to go ourselves. But today the tables are turned. We have (almost) mastered the cooking of turkey or any holiday meal. And mashed potatoes and gravy which were never a problem have become something one looks forward to. But we sometimes still slip in some fried bhindi (okra) or karela (bitter melon) which our kids are willing to ignore.
Christmas and the New Year are fast approaching. The New Year festivities are worldwide and were never a problem, but Christmas could be a lonelier time. Today as a family we have adapted well. Our neighbors have parties we attend, when we are in town. This is also the time of year when many Desis head home due to the fact that this is also just about the only time of the year when the hot sun is not beating down on our countries of origin, where we are often without electricity for many hours a day.
Santa has always been popular in my family. But to answer the question “Do you celebrate Christmas?” one has to still pause before saying “yes”. Christmas and the New Year are part and parcel of the America we now call home. We also take this holiday time to celebrate life just like everybody else in this country. From Thanksgiving through Christmas and to the New Year we too get caught up in the local festivities that we are now a permanent part of. It may not be for specific religious reasons during Christmas, but we have to admit that this is the best time of the year to experience the collective joy of living in America. And one has to admit, such joy can be, and is, addicting! Not to forget that Jesus for Muslims is a Prophet of God and the Bible a holy book that we all unreservedly revere.
(For “Nick” & Dorit who started this family journey. Happy 80 th Birthday Uncle Nick!)
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