My father rolled his eyes and turned back to me after it seemed like I asked him the most bizarre question. He sighed and said “Bee, Father Christmas doesn’t visit because we don’t celebrate Christmas.”

From what I heard from my mates in school, Christmas was an entire day devoted to presents, so why wouldn’t we celebrate it? A few of my mates said Father Christmas brought them horses, wellies and cashmere pea coats. I really wanted a horse.

“We have Eid,” he said. “Don’t be greedy.” Eid? I thought. I never get anything good on Eid apart from Baklava, a very popular Turkish sweet and our home surrounded by visitors. “But why can’t I have both?” I asked. My father was a man who had an answer for every question. Very good answers too.

He began explaining religion in a way that might appeal to a school kid who was in year six “Christmas is the time when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, we don’t celebrate Christmas because we’re not Christian. We’re Muslim.” He studied my face for a reaction.

I had no idea what he was talking about, so I nodded in agreement. He patted me on the head and returned back to watching Turkish TV. My mother, understanding that nothing had been accomplished, shook her head, and I walked back to my room, thinking, who was Jesus? How was he related to Father Christmas? Most importantly, where was my horse?

Since I have been married to my Jewish/Christian/Atheist husband, I have been celebrating this holiday with my lovely in-laws every year. They are so festive when it comes to this holiday. With their 11ft tree decorated with all sorts of cool ornaments, over a dozen beautiful stockings that hang on their huge staircase, to their holiday spirit - it all turns me into a child all over again.

The greatest thing with Yoga, is that it's not a religion. It has no creed or fixed set of beliefs, nor is there a prescribed godlike figure to be worshipped in a particular manner. Religions for the most part seem to be based upon the belief in and worship of things (God or godlike figures) that exist outside oneself. The core of Yoga’s philosophy is that everything is supplied from within the individual. Thus, there is no dependence on an external figure, either in the sense of a person or god figure, or a religious organization. 

No matter what your faith, your tradition, no matter what any of us choose to do with our lives or on Christmas day, no matter our belief system and our upbringing, we are all one. The life that has been presented to us is the ultimate gift, once that is gone, there is nothing else. So even though you might not get a horse, wellington boots or a pea coat, look around at everything you do get: the lights in the darkness of winter, the colorful decorations, the tree, the food, the company, the good cheer, the music, the vitality and most importantly your family and their sweet hearts. 

Enjoy this wonderful time of the year. Set intention for love, for joy and for health. 

If you feel like Christmas and fancy a great song for Savasana DOWNLOAD this track

Happy Holidays!

Namasté,