Diverse religions commemorate holidays
While the predominant religion in Cache Valley is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, many students agree it doesn’t matter what religion one practices, if any, to celebrate Christmas and have an enjoyable holiday season.
Nick Clason, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering, comes from a non-Christian background and said he has always had a positive experience in the holiday season, but for reasons more related to family than a belief in Christ.
“I wasn’t exactly raised in a religious family,” he said. “We never went to church and whatnot, so religion never played a big factor. I take Christmas like a lot of people do these days – I believe it’s more of a gift-giving holiday as well as spending time with your family. I’m not really big into religion, and because of that I don’t celebrate it as Jesus’s birthday. It’s more of a family holiday for me.”
Clason said the season positively impacts people, causing them to be more friendly and willing to give to charities, and the holiday season also boosts the economy.
“I’ve definitely noticed a lot of people are more friendly,” he said. “I also think it helps boost the U.S. economy a bit. People are spending more and there is more money going through the economy and growth of jobs in this bad market. People are definitely more giving.”
Clason said people with religious affiliations attend church more in the Christmas season and that it is a special time for all.
“I do notice that a lot more people go to church around the Christmas time,” he said. “Everyone is more festive and it’s just one of those times where everyone gets together. It’s definitely a special time of year.”
As Clason has grown older, he said his perspective on Christmas has changed and what once started out as day for presents has turned into a time for family.
“When I was young I thought that Christmas was just about getting gifts, but now, especially now that I’m in college and don’t get to see my family as much, it’s a time for me to go see my family and just enjoy some good company,” he said.
Francisco Cuevas, a junior majoring in economics and Spanish, comes from a Christian background but said through a translator he is involved with his Catholic beliefs more out of tradition than practice.
“I think you celebrate Christmas because it’s a tradition,” he said. “For me, it’s important to celebrate Christmas because it’s a very old tradition that has been in my family and culture to celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus. It’s a tradition that we have followed for generations and generations.”
Cuevas said despite whatever religious belief one holds, it’s good to celebrate Christmas as it remains a time to spend time with family and friends.
“It doesn’t matter what religion you are, although I don’t think non-Christians celebrate Christmas,” he said. “LDS and Catholics celebrate Christmas on almost the same day, and I think the ways are almost the same. Christmas means time spent with family and having fun. My favorite part of Christmas is how the whole family gets together to eat, share, dance and do everything as a family. Gifts are great too.”
Cuevas described himself as someone who doesn’t actively practice his religion but said he tends to draw closer to it during the Christmas season.
“I’m Catholic because my parents have instilled it into me since I was young and because of my culture,” he said. “I’m just not someone who is 100 percent Catholic that goes to church every Sunday. When Christmas gets closer, I try to attend at least three Sundays before the 24th. There are different activities than mass and it’s more interesting. There is music, people have the spirit of Christmas and it’s just more fun for me. An hour, the length of mass, goes by a lot quicker. The activities are different than they are all year long.”
Dale Nicholas, a senior majoring in journalism, comes from a background of mixed religious beliefs with a southern baptist mother and LDS father and said despite his parents’ differing views, his family’s celebration of Christmas was unaffected.
“I’m kind of in the middle,” he said. “I’m not a churchgoer. I’m more Christian than anything else. Christmas is a Christian holiday so it was never any different.”
According to Nicholas, a belief in Christianity is not essential when celebrating Christmas and the holiday brings people together no matter what their religious belief is.
“It’s always going to bring people together,” he said.
“Especially when I was in the military, I was with people who were atheist, agnostic or die hard Christian, and Christmas had the same effect on all of us. It was a time to get together, especially when we weren’t with our families. We could go celebrate Christmas together. We all celebrate Christmas regardless of our affiliation.”
– calewp@gmail.com