Christmas unites all cultures

Most Indian and Pakistani immigrants in the UK celebrate Christmas despite not being Christians. This is the right path to integration without denying one's own roots, the Indian-born columnist Anushka Asthana writes in the conservative daily The Times: "If you are an immigrant and you want your children to feel like they belong in Britain, then putting up a tree and roasting a turkey is one obvious way to help to achieve that without denting any other aspect of your cultural identity. ... Helping your children feel comfortable in their identity is not just about embracing local customs. It is also about not objecting if, one day, they behave in a way that is more British than your original culture. ... You cannot raise a child in a new country, immersed in a different culture, surrounded by people of all races, and then expect them to behave as if they are living in Delhi or Karachi. After all, it was your choice to emigrate."

» full article (external link, English)
More from the press review on the subject » Religion, » Integration, » Minorities, » United Kingdom, » India, » Pakistan