By Yasmin Hussain, Second Year, English
Upon walking through the doors into my Muslim family’s Christmas celebrations, a Santa hat and stack of cards in hand, I rushed past the green and red wreath to wish them a Merry Christmas. As a Pakistani family that has been settled in the UK for fifty years, we have embraced Christmas to the same extent as Eid, despite it being a holiday to celebrate the birth of Christ. Christmas seems to have moved beyond its Christian roots, and become a tradition rooted in nostalgia.
However, experiences differ widely and festive traditions are famously disparate. The University of Bristol has made alterations to reduce Christian-centric language by calling what has been widely known as the ‘Christmas Holidays’ the ‘Winter Holidays’ instead. This conscious choice decenters Christmas, subverting the notion that the Western celebration defines the winter season. Societies seem to concur, largely using the term ‘Winter Formals’ to describe their end-of-term roast dinners with Christmas crackers.
Performative inclusion can feel more ‘on-the-nose' than an acceptance of the norm, perhaps pointing out differences that don’t necessarily exist between students.
Wishing someone a Merry Christmas is undoubtedly heavy with connotation: in British society, it is widely assumed that families will decorate a Christmas tree and open presents on the Christmas Day. However, this is not the case. Bristol’s student body includes a multitude of religious groups, as well as international students whose experience with Christmas may have been less impactful. Does the preconception that everyone celebrates Christmas reduce diversity and implicitly force conformity to these ‘norms’? How can we navigate this in an institution that wants to promote diversity?
Lily Allott
Happy Holidays may be the answer: using this neutral term to refer to the joys of winter could allow all to feel equally included in the festivities. But is this too much? Performative inclusion can feel more ‘on-the-nose' than an acceptance of the norm, perhaps pointing out differences that don’t necessarily exist between students.
Upon asking the members of the student body, I was met by an overwhelming consensus that Merry Christmas was their greeting of choice. Many believe Happy Holidays to be an uncommon Americanism. But why is it seen as politically correct and more inclusive in the US, but is not considered that here?
This is likely due to the British secularisation of Christmas as a holiday. The US considers itself a Christian country, necessitating the inclusion of other faiths. Fox News has reported on the use of Happy Holidays as a ‘war on Christmas’, or a war on Christianity; the narrative that this linguistic choice dilutes the majority group’s cultural traditions is fundamentally exclusionary. It is also an attitude that shows how Christian faith defines the holiday in the US.
Although many Britons attend midnight mass and reflect on the Nativity, the consumerisation of Christmas has created new associations and traditions. Beyond this, the culture of music, food, gifts and quality time with family reduces the association of Christmas with piety and Christian reflection. Christmas in the 21st century is often considered as a period rather than a specific day, with shops displaying Christmas stock immediately following Halloween, and lights being displayed as soon as it gets dark. We wear Christmas jumpers with snowflakes on them and listen to Christmas songs that barely reference the name of the holiday. The decentralisation of the day of Jesus’ birth and the focus on festive spirit arguably makes Merry Christmas a term that is shared by all, as the student community comes together in the festive sentiment.
The choice of language then depends massively on the context. Merry Christmas is likely the norm among students, a consequence of a cultural tradition that incorporates a diverse range of families. However, it is best to listen to which term someone uses before using one to them! The University of Bristol must support its student body by being vigilantly inclusive, even if it feels ‘put-on’. Using Happy Holidays as a union or a society helps to foster awareness of cultural diversity in the community. Through being actively considerate, we are all included in the festivities, and is that not what Christmas is about?
Featured image: Epigram / Lilja Nassar
Do you prefer one phrase over the other?
