In the spirit of the Sharing Ramadan and Sharing a Bowl of Yassa events, came Sharing Christmas. Our diverse community gathered to celebrate and learn more about Christmas. Our group of 11 represented 7 different countries and as also characterizes our group; we came from both Christian and Muslim backgrounds. We gathered in my home and in the Christmas tradition of my family, we had a variety of international appetizers for dinner along with apple cider and desserts.

Our conversation was light-hearted and fun but also took on topics such as Islamic faith and culture in Saudi Arabia, the teachings of Jesus and how he is perceived in both the Qur’an and the Bible, the birth of Jesus in the Qur’an and in the New Testament, the meaning of true love and forgiveness, and the sad, corrupted state of the world and humanity today.

We shared stories from our own experiences and had the refreshing privilege of connecting with one another at a level that would not have so easily come about in another setting. We were able to reach across our cultural divides with bridges of mutual respect and in a spirit of humility and learning. We desire to continue gathering in the coming year and the interest is still spreading.