Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah
@DeborahDiane (40851)
Laguna Woods, California
December 24, 2016 8:20pm CST
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or some other winter holiday, I want to wish you all the happiest of holidays. Muslims have their largest celebrations in the spring and fall. However, if these holidays over the next few days provide them with a winter break, I hope they enjoy their time off, too.
Our family is mostly Christian, with one branch that is Jewish and one branch that is Muslim and, yes, everyone is respectful and gets along fine. If you are a Christian, did you know that Muslims also believe in Jesus? However, they respectfully believe he is a Prophet like Mohamed and Moses.
Whatever you believe, I personally believe, from my experiences, that all people of faith have much more in common than they have differences. I hope you have the opportunity to see that in your lives, too.
As my family and I head to Christmas Eve services at our Presbyterian Church, I am wishing you all the very best during this holiday season!
MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HANUKKAH AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
10 people like this
11 responses
@FourWalls (86901)
• United States
25 Dec 16
Thanks. Hanukkah for me. You have a merry Christmas!!!
4 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Dec 16
@FourWalls - Enjoy your Hanukkah celebrations! Thank you for the Christmas wishes; we have had a lot of fun the past few days!
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Dec 16
@vandana7 - Hanukkah is a Jewish festival. It lasts for eight days from the 25th day of Kislev (in December). The exact date on our calendar changes every year. It commemorates the rededication of the Temple in 165 BC by the Maccabees after it was desecrated in ancient times by the Syrians. The Jews were under siege in the Temple, but they only had enough oil to keep their lamp lit for one night. However, miraculously, the oil lasted for eight nights and they all survived. The holiday is celebrated by the successive kindling of eight lights, as well as special food.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153529)
• India
25 Dec 16
It is the celebration or the entertainment part that one looks at these days and so everyone celebrates every feast
3 people like this
@allknowing (153529)
• India
26 Dec 16
@DeborahDiane Fir me Christmas is giving. I throw a party for the less privileged each year.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Dec 16
@allknowing - I hope that at least some people celebrate more than just the holiday parties. I hope they get the meaning out of their religious beliefs.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (102698)
• India
25 Dec 16
Oh great...you know so many cultures. :) Basically, all religions are good. Problem is with the followers not the religion. They interpret the content of scriptures to suit their needs and become stubborn unwilling to listen to others reasoning. Merry X mas, hannukah, and kwanza. :)
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Dec 16
@vendana7 - I agree completely when you said "basically, all religions are good. Problem is with the followers not the religion." That is so true. It is unfortunate that more people do not realize that.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Dec 16
@rina110383 - I'm glad that you and @vandana7 connected on this post! I hope you have a bountiful New Year, too!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Dec 16
@jstory07 - That is how I feel, too. I do not care what religion a person is, they are all welcome at my house.
@garymarsh6 (24100)
• United Kingdom
25 Dec 16
Happy Christmas to you too. I hope you have a wonderful time with your family!
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Dec 16
@garymarsh6 - Thank you for the Christmas wishes. I feel like we have been celebrating for a week, but we have enjoyed the time with our friends and family!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Dec 16
@shubhu3 - Merry Christmas to you, too!
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
28 Dec 16
This site has a nice mix of every belief it seems, doesn't it?
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
29 Dec 16
@PatZAnthony - I agree that this site has a nice mix of every belief. It is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to learn.
@lookatdesktop (27156)
• Dallas, Texas
25 Dec 16
I enjoyed reading your post. It shows good character on your part and suggests to all of us how important getting along with each other this holiday and the new year ahead for 2017 is so much about just getting along in spite of our differences because we are all just people trying to survive on a hostile world.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Dec 16
@lookatdesktop - I agree that it is important for us to all get along. I love what you said about people trying to survive in a hostile world, despite our differences. Our family used to live in Dallas, about 18 years ago. I was a Realtor for more than a decade with Ebby Halliday. We have great memories of the 25 years we lived in Big D. 
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
29 Dec 16
@DianneN - I did have a wonderful Christmas. I hope your Hanukkah has been nice. My daughter in Hastings-on-Hudson has posted several photos of their son lighting the Hanukkah candles every evening.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Dec 16
@JudyEv - Like you, I am a Christian but respect other religions, as well. I agree that it helps to believe in a superior being!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Dec 16
@Kandae11 - Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year to you, too!
