Sally Churchward finds out how people with different faiths in the area are marking Christmas

Hindu

FOR Anita Sharma from St Marys, Southampton, being Hindu is an important part of her life.

“Faith is important to me. It gives you grounding and support when you’re feeling a bit low, and it’s nice to go along to the temple and have a chat to God!” laughs the 29-year-old rehabilitation officer for brain charity Headway Southampton.

Anita particularly enjoys all the Hindu festivals – in fact there are so many, she loses count!

“There are at least 20 festivals but Diwali, in November, is the big one,” she says.

“The festivals are a nice way of staying touch with your roots and to get together with everyone.

“We take Indian sweets to one another’s houses and I send Diwali cards.

“Everyone loves the Diwali fireworks and we get dressed up and see everyone at the temple. I really like the big community events when we get together and celebrate.

“This time of year, from October onwards, is a really busy time for us, with festival after festival.

“I like to take part in them all – the fasts too. I’m really proud of being British but also keen to preserve my roots.”

Along with the Hindu festivals, another key date on Anita’s family’s calendar is December 25.

“We have always celebrated Christmas,” she says.

“One of the lovely things about it is unlike the Hindu festivals, everyone has time off together.

“We always go over to my auntie’s house in Portswood, around 15 of us, for a big traditional Christmas dinner, sometimes with a few Indian dishes thrown in.

“My family isn’t really in to the commercial side of Christmas, although we do give gifts.

“We always decorate our house and also put up lights outside – we like to feel part of the Christmas spirit.”

Anita says that some people seem surprised that she celebrates Christmas.

“Every year people ask and I think ‘yes, I did last year when you asked as well!’ “Christmas has always been part of my life. I grew up with it, the Nativity plays at school, everything.”

As practicing Hindus who celebrate Christmas, she says her family is not unusual.

“Most people from the temple celebrate Christmas. It’s really embraced.

“I think everyone should celebrate each other’s festivals and have a good time and be happy.

“I think it’s important to embrace other cultures rather than looking for difference.

“My favourite thing about Christmas is that everyone has time off so you can meet up with people, as everyone is so busy for the rest of the year.

“I really like the community spirit that you get around Christmas – everyone seems to be a bit happier and more friendly.

“I think it’s good to focus on that rather than the overly commercial side of Christmas.”

Anita’s favourite personal seasonal tradition: Going to the Christmas markets with friends and getting together with friends on Christmas Eve.

Daily Echo:

Sikh

For Satvir Kaur, the things that make her favourite Sikh festivals, Vasakhi and Diwali, and Christmas so special is that they bring everyone together.

And the 31-year-old who lives in Southampton city centre says that in this city we are particularly lucky to have so much diversity.

“Southampton is really special because people really embrace each other’s culture and festivals,” says the city council cabinet member for communities, culture and leisure.

“It makes our city a more exciting and vibrant place to live.”

Satvir went to a Roman Catholic school and while she is a practicing Sikh, Christmas has always been very much part of her and her family’s culture.

“One of the special things about Christmas is that everything shuts down so it’s the one day of the year that me and all my family sit down together,” she says.

“My dad has a local business that’s open seven days a week and Christmas Day is the only day of the year that he shuts up shop!”

Satvir spends Christmas Day with her parents, siblings and their families at her parents’ home.

“It’s a hectic day,” she laughs.

“We have all the traditional things – the tree, presents, etc. My friends at school used to do the same things as us, except that they went to church.

“We have a traditional Christmas dinner, although we spice it up a bit. My dad always makes the world’s biggest fry up in the morning.

“On Christmas Day we have a board game marathon and a chess competition – I won last year and I was really excited!

“Because there are children there, I think we make even more of an effort.

“Last year we had a competition with a bow and arrow set that my nephew got to shoot the star off the tree. My mum wasn’t too happy about that!”

Satvir says that people often ask her if she celebrates Christmas.

“It doesn’t bother me,” she says.

“I grew up with people from different backgrounds and faiths joining in each other’s traditions.”

She adds that what makes Christmas really special for her is family time.

“The best thing about Christmas is the same in our family as it is for a lot of people – having the opportunity for everyone to get together.”

Satvir’s favourite personal seasonal tradition: family board game competitions. She’s hoping to retain her chess champion title for a second year.

Daily Echo:

Methodist Christian

CHRISTMAS is already well underway for Deacon Brian Purchase.

The festive season started for the minister of St James Road Methodist Church in Upper Shirley on the last Sunday in November - the beginning of advent.

Throughout December, he is busy with school assemblies, special services, outreach services, carols in a local pup and delivering 30 sheep to Shirley High Street for the All I Want for Christmas is Ewe children’s trail!

“I teach the Christmas story in schools,” he says.

“I think it’s important that children hear that and then they can make their own choice.

“I share things from a Christian perspective and put forward the values, which people from other faiths also share.”

Christmas Day itself gets underway with a midnight service, followed by a family service at 10.30am, and a Christmas meal, called Together at Christmas, for around 30 invited guests from the local community.

“After that I go home and if I have any energy, my wife and I open our presents,” says the 55-year-old.

“Our family day tends to be Boxing Day. We all get together - our two girls and their husbands come first, and then the rest of the family all come to us as we have a nice big minister’s house.

“We share presents and everyone brings something to eat - it’s really lovely.

“As a minister, when everyone else is switching off on Christmas Day, you’re working very hard and you’re on public view.

“People often have big expectations around Christmas and are often looking to you for meaning.

“For me, the meaning of Christmas is the story of hope for the world,” he adds.

“We see terrible things throughout the rest of the year but aside from all the commercial stuff, we do see evidence that people make a special effort to do things like support good causes, collecting for local food banks and check in on their neighbours at Christmas.”

Deacon Brian Purchase’s favourite personal seasonal traditions: “At the beginning of December I always make the Christmas cake with my youngest daughter, and my eldest daughter and I go and buy our Christmas trees together.”

Daily Echo:

Pagan

AS a Pagan, the big December ceremony for Simon Wood is Yule.

The date of Yule changes each year, as it’s held on the Winter Solstice - the shortest day of the year.

This year, Yule, which celebrates the newborn sun and the beginning of another year, is on December 22.

“Because Yule is on a Tuesday this year, we are holding our celebration on the Friday before, so people can join in and not have to go to work the next day,” says Simon, 51,who runs New Forest Pagans.

“In past years we’ve held it outdoors and then gone on to a hotel, but this year we’re having it all at a hotel in the New Forest.

“It means people can get dressed up, rather than dressing for the weather.

“We tell the story of a Father Christmas-type character who we view as a shaman who is the embodiment of the mid-winter spirit who brings your hopes for the next year and gifts.

“Everyone brings food and wine to share and we have people playing instruments and singing so it’s a bit of a party,” says Simon who comes from Hythe and works for Southampton City Council.

“We’re expecting around 30 people to come this year.”

Simon explains that many of the Yule traditions look the same as Christmas ones, but that the underlying meaning is different.

“We have an evergreen tree, which represents the promise of life coming, and we decorate it with lights and baubles, which symbolise the sun, and have holly and ivy, which represent male and female aspects of nature.

“We give gifts but we don’t go in for the extravagance of Christmas. I find the over buying of food, loads of which goes to waste, vulgar.

“We don’t go down that line. We have the same sorts of traditional fayre, but in moderation.”

Having had Yule before Christmas Day, December 25 tends to be a fairly quiet family day.

“Pagans are often quite non-conformist, so not doing the same thing as most other people on Christmas Day doesn’t feel alien,” says Simon.

His favourite part of Yule is the community aspect, with people getting together and having a nice time.

“No matter what the last year has thrown at them, everyone gets together and looks forward to a better New Year,” he says.

“The world slows down for a bit and people get together for family gatherings - that’s what I like about this time of year.

Simon’s favourite personal seasonal tradition: “I have a very old crackly recording of a BBC radio play called Solstice. I used to play it to my children and now I play it to my grandchildren, by candlelight. I dress up as the shaman and knock on the door and come in. It’s quite magical.”

Daily Echo:

Muslim

“I’m British, so we have Bond and the Queen, but my wife is Finnish, so she has quite a lot of Christmas traditions,” laughs Mohammed Ansar.

For Mohammed and his family, a big meal is central to Christmas festivities.

“Christmas is a time for families to get together and do things,” says the social and political commentator , who lives near Winchester.

“I’m not telling Muslims to celebrate Christmas but you can enjoy the food and the atmosphere,” adds the chief executive for a charity which acts as an umbrella organisation for local Muslim groups.

With six children, two of whom are grown up, with children of their own, the Ansar Christmas dinner is always busy.

And this year, Mohammed and his wife are hosting an event for Muslim and other faith friends and family at a local community centre for around 25 people.

“You can get Halal turkeys in Southampton and it’s becoming more accessible for Muslims who want to partake in the festivities,” he says.

For him, togetherness, spirituality and charitable giving represent the spirit of Christmas, rather than the commercial and over indulgent aspects.

“Rather than spending thousands of pounds on gifts, why not feed the poor or house the homeless at Christmas?” he asks.

Charitable giving is a key part of major Muslim festival, Eid-ul-Adha.

“Traditionally, a farmer sacrifices their best animal and keeps a third for their family, gives a third to their community and a third to the poor,” he explains.

“So Eid-ul-Adha is a huge time of charitable giving.”

Like Christmas, Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr are both important times for family and community.

Eid-ul-Fitr, which follows a month of fasting, is marked with prayers, community gatherings and good food.

“Fasting offers a chance for a spiritual reboot, to return to your religion and try to perfect it,” he says.

“So much of life is a spiritual and moral vacuum, so Muslims are blessed to have two Eids, when we come together and reconnect to our rituals and traditions.”

Mohammed likes to invite followers of other faiths to take part in Iftar - fast breaking - and Eid events.

“It’s a lovely way to reach out and share what we do,” he says.

“In a similar way, we don’t take part in the religious aspects of Christmas but we enjoy the secular festivities.

“We always do lots of things with our children, like go to the Christmas markets, ice skating and play board games.

“Because my wife is from Finland, we follow the Finnish tradition and have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve.

“We usually have a turkey. Muslim families tend to be big so a turkey is ideal as we have enough people to eat it!”

Mohammed’s favourite personal seasonal tradition: “Every year my wife and the children make a couple of ginger bread houses and we spend the next few weeks slowly demolishing them.”