[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen I think about the holidays, the first thing that comes to mind is not a turkey or presents or even my family having a row across the table- it’s Chrismukkah.
Chrismukkah came into fruition on the early 2000s TV drama ‘The OC’ and is the blending together of Christmas and Hanukkah to create a ‘super-holiday’ that, according to Seth- the character that created this most glorious of holidays, has ‘twice the resistance of a normal holiday’ and hence cannot be ruined. (If you haven’t seen ‘The OC’). I’m not particularly religious, nor have I ever struggled to appease the cultural/social differences between the two sides of my family, but I still think about the snowless Christmases in Newport Beach every year. As much as the idea of ‘eight days of presents, followed by one day of many presents’ appeals to me, I think the scale of happiness stemming from this culture blend celebration, albeit fictional, is what has driven (and continues to drive) the almost cult-like following of this hybrid holiday and has done since the show’s conception in 2003.
And so I think there is a lesson here. A lesson that was probably not relevant 13 years ago, but is extremely prevalent today. Immigration. Or should I say, the benefits of immigration.
Of course, immigration was happening in the early 2000s, but not at the scale, speed or with the media reception it currently receives. In 2003 net migration to the UK was 185,000, whereas in the last year it was 335,000 people. But this has got to be a good thing, despite what newspapers publish about immigrants coming over to the country just to claim benefits and exploit the NHS. If their claims were true, Britain would’ve objected to free movement of people in the EU, prior to Brexit (because let’s be honest, that campaign was packed full of lies. Side note: I’d like to extend my personal thanks to Nigel Farage for ruining the opportunities of English kids to study and live abroad- don’t forget we Brits emigrate too!).
If immigration was really the issue people claim it to be, our streets would not be paved with international restaurants, there would be no outside influence in art and most of our favourite music would be gone. Half the journalists, reporting all these stories would be gone, because who would need foreign correspondents? Despite all of this, people see it as their God-given right to absorb foreign culture and then discard the people. For the best part of the last year, I worked at McDonald’s and my god, the conversations people would have… they’d slag off immigrants and refugees to high hell whilst sitting in Scandinavian chairs and eating American food in the middle of England.
And then Christmas comes around and at the media turns to trees and candy canes. People become more generous, in both money and thoughts. Views don’t change overnight, I know, but thank god something else features in the news, if only for a short while. For a few days, at least, there seems to be a little less hate in the world.
In an ideal life, things would all fall together- race, nationality, origin, none of it would matter- because as the Scots discovered after their referendum, we really are #BetterTogether. I’ve had the privilege of growing up in a multicultural society, but not always one free from ignorance and hate. It is easy, I know, to blame anything different for change, but it’s not right or moral. As inhabitants of a small island, even one with large global reach, we all came from someplace else, even the ‘true Brits’ among us and we must embrace this. Here’s why. And Chrismukkah shows how easily accepting, and accommodating, different cultures and beliefs really can be, if we only open our minds.
I want to change the world, I really do, but I understand that nothing good comes easy, or even quickly and so I’m starting small. And I’m urging you all to join me. What makes the world, and especially this country the success and global powerhouse it is, is the diversity contained within it. So, even if it’s just smiling at people on the street or complaining less, do something positive in an effort to unite people this December, regardless of age, race or cultural background- see it as your gift to the world this year.
Whatever you celebrate, be it Chrismukkah, another faith or nothing at all, try and make the end of 2016 (because god knows it’s been bad so far) wonderful. And check out The OC- I’d highly recommend it. We must all find time, in a season of gift-giving and new beginnings, to reflect on how to strive further, reach higher and aim to be better.
