'Double fun:' P.E.I. families of many faiths embrace the Christmas season

It's a Christmas tree decorated unlike any other: at the top, a handmade picture of the Islamic star and crescent symbol, witha Christian cross in the background.

Just below, a drawing of holding hands, one marked with the cross and one the Islamic emblem.

On a table beside the tree, copies of theQu'ranbeside the Bible. It's whatFarahAl-behadili, a Muslim woman from Stratford, P.E.I., calls her "unity tree."

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"My parents taught us to respect all the religions," said Al-behadili, who moved to Stratford, P.E.I., in 2010. Originally from Jordan, she had grown up with some Christian friends, and was familiar with Christmas traditions.

For me, the holidays and gifts are a way to say thank you to everybody around us. Ayelet Stewart

The vast majority of Islanders 115,000, according to the last census in 2011 identify as Christian, 560 as Buddhist, 205 as Hindu, 100 as Jewish and 660 as Muslim.

CBC P.E.I. dropped in on some non-Christian households to see how they're marking the season.

'We are all one'

P.E.I. is now home to about 800 to 900 Muslims who worship at P.E.I's only mosque in Charlottetown.

The number of Muslims has increased since the census with a recent influx of newcomers from Syria, amplifying the Island's religious diversity and the variety of seasonal celebrations in Island households.

P.E.I. Muslims and those around the world consider Eid al-Adha, held in September, to be a festival equal to Christmas. It involves a huge gathering, feast and gifts especially for children.

The Qur'an does talk about the birth of the Prophet Jesus and Muslims hold him in high regard. Although Christmas is not a Muslim holiday, that doesn't stop many Muslim Islanders from enthusiastically joining in Christmas fun to some degree.

Since moving to P.E.I. and having two young children, Al-behadili and her husband now enjoy putting up a Christmas tree, and for the last couple of years she has hand-painted ornaments including both a cross symbol for Christianity and a half-moon and star symbol of Islam.

"Wherever there is happiness, wherever there is something nice, we will go with it," she said. "Anything that brings brightness and peace and makes our kids happy and ourselves happy, I don't mind it."

"It's double fun."

Unity tree

After showing her multi-denominational ornaments to her friends in the international office at U.P.E.I., where she has just graduated with a master's degree, Al-behadili was invited to decorate a "unity tree" at the university this year.

"We are all one, we are all celebrating nice things," she said of what it stands for.

And her children like celebrating Christmas, too they've enthusiastically embraced Santa and receiving Christmas gifts.

'Opportunity to connect'

"As a Muslim family, even though the [Christmas] season has no religious or spiritual significance for us, it is an opportunity to connect/reconnect with family members and relatives and our children with their cousins who are of a different faith," said Zain Esseghaier, spokesperson for the Muslim Society of P.E.I.

"Connecting/reconnecting with family and relatives regardless of faith is one of the duties, and pleasures too, Muslims are supposed to uphold. There could even be some gifts exchanged."

Muslim Islanderswith Christian relatives are usually invited to a Christmas supper or Boxing Day brunch, Esseghaier noted, and enjoy a full turkey dinner. "And yes, we do wish them a Merry Christmas," he said.

'A way to say thank you'

Hanukkah celebrations of course can be as individual as any Christmas holiday, but there are some traditions that most Jewish households will stick to this time of year, including lighting the candles of a Menorah over the eight days of Hanukkah, the festival of lights.

"My personal traditions are just celebrating Hanukkah, which usually corresponds with Christmas," said Ayelet Stewart, who grew up in Israel, where she graduated from Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem. She now lives in Stratford, P.E.I., with husband Larry and two teenage girls, and they have a happy union of traditions, she said.

"We didn't get gifts growing up," said Stewart. "I think that's a North American adjustment for Christmas. Maybe we got five dollars."

It is a fun time since there is a holiday from school and work, Stewart said. The Jewish community on P.E.I. celebrates every year with a Hanukkah party at a private home, where they tell the Hanukkah story, light the Menorah and sing traditional songs in Hebrew. There is no temple on P.E.I.

"There are foods that go along with it that are traditional like donuts and latkes which are fried potato pancakes, which are really delicious," Stewart shared. The foods are all fried in oil, a Hanukkah custom that comes from the Talmud's story of the miracle of the menorah burning for eight days, despite a lack of oil.

"We celebrate Christmas for Larry and the girls," Stewart shared. "And we light Hanukkah candles but no Hanukkah gifts, only Christmas gifts."

The Stewarts also have a Christmas mealon Christmas Day at lunch, as well as a Christmas tree. "I tell them we are both Jewish and Christian," Stewart said.

"For me, the holidays and gifts are a way to say thank you to everybody around us," said Stewart. "That's why I take part in it."

Happy holidays

The 2011 census also points out there are about 20,000 Island households with no religious affiliation.

When I put out a call on social media asking how non-Christian Islanders feel about the season, I heard from many who may have checked the atheist/agnostic box.

"Myself and my family are pretty much entirely non-religious," wrote Katharine MacDonald of Charlottetown. But we enjoy Christmas for the traditions we celebrate German Christmas on Christmas Eve, put up trees, do our baking, etc."

"We have started our own traditions. This year we're celebrating winter solstice and we also do the Finland tradition of buying a book on Christmas eve," said non-Christian Colleen McKie of Hunter River. She and her husband don't put up a tree, but decorate a lavender plant which she plans to harvest in the spring and fashion into summer solstice gifts.

"I celebrate my family and friends with great vegan food and company!" wrote Catherine O'Brien of Cornwall, who was raised Christian but is now atheist.

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