Holiday season in the United States is often synonymous with Christmas, a celebration that dominates cultural, commercial and media spaces. Yet, in a country defined by its diversity, many feel the spotlight on Christmas leaves little room for other traditions and celebrations. SCHS students from various cultural backgrounds experience this tension firsthand as the holiday season approaches.
Junior Elma Hidic reflected on her experience trying to fit in during the holiday season, sharing her conflicted feelings about her Bosnian identity.
“Growing up, I felt like I had to hide under my own skin. Almost all my classmates celebrated Christmas, and I didn’t want to feel left out, so I joined in,” Hidic said. “But as I’ve grown, I’ve learned to appreciate my own holidays and traditions more.”
Contrasting Hidic, senior Liv Tran explained that she aligns herself with Buddhist beliefs while enjoying Christmas for reasons beyond its religious context. For her, the holiday transcends its Christian roots and serves as a bridge to connect with a community she might not otherwise engage with.
“I follow Buddhism, but I really like Christmas, for religious beliefs or not. It makes me feel more happy, and I’m with other people. I don’t necessarily mind it because I respect that everyone has beliefs,” Tran said. “But especially in the U.S., which isn’t necessarily a Christian country, it can feel a little unfair. It makes you feel left out when you know that during Christmas, people have breaks to enjoy with their families.”
Biology teacher Angelese Reed highlighted how the cultural and commercial dominance of Christmas leaves little space for the representation of other celebrations and traditions.
“Christmas is portrayed everywhere,” Reed said. “Every movie, every commercial – it’s all about Christmas. But you rarely hear about other holidays or see them represented in the media.”
Reed followed this by expressing her desire for more inclusive portrayals in the media.
“I would like them (other holidays) mentioned at the bare minimum. I would love to see information on them, like when? What are they? What are the beliefs behind it? How can I celebrate? How can I recognize it? How can I acknowledge it to people that I encounter,” Reed said. “Just more information so that then I can make a choice whether I want to celebrate it, or if it’s something that I can celebrate with them.”
Senior Gabrielle Ponciano highlighted that the prioritization of Christmas detracts from the importance of other cultural and religious holidays.
“I think Christmas is so popularized to the point that other holidays, even religious ones like Easter, are kind of forgotten,” Ponciano said. “They’re not romanticized by the media the same way.”
Aligning with Reed and Ponciano’s sentiments, Tran emphasized the importance of portraying people of color in holiday depictions, pointing to how representation can bring greater inclusivity and understanding.
“I think we need more people of color in holiday portrayals. It’ll bring more advocacy and help others join in (holiday celebrations) without feeling that resentment,” Tran said.
Ponciano added that beyond representation, certain universal elements of the holidays such as traditional food should be celebrated.
“My family is like a clash of cultures. It’s not just one or the other,” Ponciano said. “I think it’s important to celebrate all aspects. I think food is a major one, and being together with family that you don’t normally get to see – that’s a big part of it.”
Ponciano believes the media plays a significant role in shaping public awareness of different holidays.
“I think maybe if more research is done, and the media needs to be more involved with that. They mostly do stuff around Christmas. You see reporters on TV talking about Christmas celebrations, but I just don’t see that with other cultures,” Ponciano said.
Hidic shared her frustrations with the lack of recognition for different holidays in school.
“I always see teachers doing Thanksgiving or Christmas activities,” Hidic said. “But I never see other religions being appreciated. I understand that there are so many religions in the world – it’s hard to cover them all – but at least the major ones should be acknowledged.”
Ponciano emphasized the importance of recognizing not just widely celebrated holidays but also the significance of other cultural and religious observances.
“It’s important to not just celebrate one big holiday like Christmas but include every other holiday that might not seem as significant to everyone, but it is to that culture. It deserves the same recognition,” Ponciano said.