Video by Shannon Schaefer, Story by Mia Maaytah, Infographic by Mariyam Khaja, Social Media/Layout by Grace Desoe
In Carson Parks’ family, they celebrate Christmas in a different way.
They don’t celebrate religion, they celebrate core values, and they don’t give gifts, they give travel.
Parks explained how he celebrates the holiday in a secular way as opposed to in a religious way.
He said that his parents never imposed religion onto him, but Christmas was always a tradition in his household.
His mother, who was also present, commented on how she was raised religiously and that’s why she originally celebrated Christmas, yet made a conscious choice not celebrate the holiday because of those beliefs alone.
“When we got married, my husband and I decided not to raise our kids religiously.
Of course, if they have the opportunity to learn more about it, and they have, then that is okay,” Parks’ mother said.
“But we believe it is more about the core values we teach them rather than religion.”
Parks said that instead of his family sharing gifts among each other, they travel to a different city or visit a different place each year.
Carson Parks is a 17-year-old high school student who attends West Carleton secondary-school in Ottawa.
Parks was visiting Ryerson University and spoke about how his family celebrates Christmas.
Similar to Parks, many young families are celebrating Christmas non-religiously as opposed to religiously, but still carry out the same traditions of big meals, decorating their house festively, putting up a Christmas tree, and exchanging gifts.
In fact, the amount of Canadians who prefer the term “Christmas” as opposed to “Holiday Season” is only 69 per cent compared to 73 per cent in 2014, a poll on Global News shows.
The numbers of those who prefer the term “Holiday Season” is steadily increasing.
As well, many of the students around Ryerson campus who celebrate Christmas religiously, did not know what many of the famous symbols mean e.g. the tree, the lights, stockings, etc…
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What is not in question however, is whether or not people are still getting together for any holiday that occurs this time of year.
It seems that regardless of belief, people are still celebrating something.
Alex Seivewright, a third-year marketing student at Ryerson University answered why he celebrates Christmas with one word. “Family.”
Seivewright said he celebrates the holiday every year by going to British Columbia with 25 of his family members to ski.
“[I celebrate] for non religious reasons, its basically just an excuse to get the entire family together because we’ve moved all around Canada and the world.”
Many other students said how the holiday used to have religious meaning in their family, but as they get older and develop their own beliefs, they continue celebrating simply because it is a tradition.
Nicole Piperis, a first-year engineering student at the University of Toronto says she celebrates Christmas because thats what everybody else around her did when she was growing up in Italy.
“I guess I am just very used to it. I am from Italy, and so many people do [celebrate it] even if they don’t believe.”
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