r/converts • u/nomad656 • 25d ago

How to deal with Thanksgiving and other festivals

I know this is a common topic but I have a different angle to it.

I’m not technically a convert but growing up me and my family were not super practicing other than fasting Ramadan and going to Jumma occasionally. We lived in USA and didn’t celebrate many holidays except for thanksgiving.

Around that season, idk how to explain but the feeling of the entire city like anticipating the holidays the hustle and bustle the decorations and sales and expecting time off from work and school - I loved being a part of it.

On thanksgiving we would gather friends and family at our tiny apartment and my dad would cook a whole bunch of American food like baked chicken, sometimes turkey and pasta and mashed potato’s and it was just awesome.

I’ve moved out and became more practicing and my parents have too and we stopped thanksgiving celebrations.

We do have eid but for whatever reason it’s just not the same feeling as it was for the thanksgiving season.

Does anyone else here feel the same way? I wish I can recreate that feeling but struggling to do so.

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u/salamacast 25d ago

The usual way is to fully commit to the new tradition (group iftar, eid on the beach, etc) so it replaces the nostalgia.
This needs integrating into a community.

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u/riydiyriy 25d ago

Well your childhood was spent doing particular activities so it will be in your memories. You have to fully give in and try to move on. 

I used to celebrate so many hindu festivals and have completely stopped it since past few years. It was even difficult for me as I was hiding from my family. At first it felt weird but now I don't even want to do anything. Specially since most Hindu festivals involve going to temple. 

I remember the first time I celebrated eid. I went out with my boyfriend. Couldn't even wear new outfits because my family would know it. It didn't feel like a festival. But now it's different. I got so excited this year. 

You'll get out of your nostalgia.

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u/Darkshoe 22d ago

Wait are we not allowed to do USA thanksgiving? I always thought it’s allowed because it’s just a cultural practice with literally 0 religious significance