I was probably 6- or 7-years-old when I first realized that my family didn’t celebrate Christmas. It was a curious discovery, especially considering that until then I thought I was just like every other kid in my rural Tennessee neighborhood. Turns out, I wasn’t.

There were clues, of course. Our family didn’t attend services at the local Church of Christ. And I always had to be careful about what pizza I ate, to make sure there was no pepperoni, only cheese or veggie.

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Still, everything about Christmas excited me. The twinkling lights, the festive music, neatly wrapped gifts with shiny wrapping paper practically begging to be ripped open, and most of all the big, artificial and gorgeous trees.

My sisters and I begged my parents for a tree and to our delight they happily obliged. I remember our first – small and simple, all of three feet tall. But it was the beginning of a memorable childhood of Christmases in a Muslim household.

I remember waking my parents up early Christmas morning and ripping open the gift boxes that held my brand new Barbie dolls. I was elated. My sisters and I only got one or two gifts each, but we were so happy that we could partake in such a joyous occasion.

As the years passed, our trees got bigger, the decor got better, the gifts were plentiful and the festive spirit became brighter.

The town I lived in at the time held its annual Christmas parade, and I got to participate through my Girl Scout troop. Luckily for me, I got to sit front and center on a haystack wearing a hot pink and gold Pakistani dress with the other girls dressed as angels sitting around me on our parade float. It wasn’t very Christmasy, but it sure was festive.

Some wondered why my family celebrated Christmas even though we weren’t Christian.

When I was younger, I didn’t want to feel left out of from what my friends and classmates got to experience. As I got a little older and started to study my own Islamic faith more deeply, I saw just how much Muslims revere Jesus. Mother Mary has an entire chapter dedicated to her in the Koran. Jesus is the most-mentioned prophet.

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As my sisters and I grew older, we became detached from the trees and the gifts. My family and I attended Christmas parties and participated in other festivities, but Christmas became a normal day for us. We no longer put up trees and exchange gifts.

As an adult, Christmas has become a working day for me, so others can enjoy time off with their loved ones. I now look forward to a day where I can wear a hoodie to work and enjoy free food.

Indeed, it has been quite a journey for me. While I no longer celebrate Christmas, it is a wondrously meaningful day to reflect on my love of family, faith and friends.

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I am grateful to have experienced an incredibly fun and loving holiday in my childhood, and it is something I will celebrate with my future children.

Perhaps best of all, this time of year still serves as a powerful reminder that no matter your faith, color, background or political beliefs, we can all celebrate the true meaning of the season: peace on Earth and love toward all. It’s a value I was taught as a little Tennessee girl many years ago and it remains timeless and true to this very day.