Canadian Muslim's 'first Christmas' with housemates in lockdown goes viral

A Twitter thread by a Muslim man unable to travel home due to the coronavirus pandemic has gone viral after he decided to document his first Christmas with his housemates.

Mohammad Hussain, a political adviser who lives in Canada, wrote a Twitter thread explaining his experience celebrating Christmas for the first time.

"Growing up, my Muslim family never celebrated Christmas," he explained.

"This year I am not going home, because pandemic, so my roommates are teaching me how to have my first proper Christmas."

He added: "I am approaching this with anthropological precision."

In a set of humorous tweets, Hussein commented on well-loved Christmas traditions, including purchasing baubles, the stress related to buying presents for loved ones and the technicalities of filling one’s own stocking.

"Observation 1," he began, "Christmas is a part time job that you have from mid-November to the end of December.

"From the outside looking in, Christmas always seemed pretty simple. I always thought you put up a tree and then gave gifts to family. This is a lie."

Twitter Post

He observed the importance of food traditions and noted, bemused, that whilst you can "buy yourself a gift…you can’t stuff your own stocking".

"I don’t understand this one," he admitted, before adding: "I don’t care. I bought myself mint chapstick and I will fake surprise."

He also identified the difference between a "filler" ornament and a "keeper" – those designed to be kept and "stored in your family’s reliquary to be one day passed on to the children."

He purchased an "everything bagel" bauble which is, as it turned out, "EXPENSIVE".

The entertaining thread concludes with: "The religious aspect of Christmas is optional.

"I really like this one. If I was to suggest having a secular Ramadan to my mother she would have a heart attack. I will however be trying to get my family to do a Secret Santa for Eid. The name's being workshopped.

"I will say I am having a very pleasant time. I am learning that I enjoy Christmas music and gift purchasing. I am also learning that I do not enjoy peppermint."

The thread posts have been liked nearly one million times and shared tens of thousands of times across Twitter as people – both religious and non-religious alike- joined in the Christmas cheer.

"We used to do hidden hadya at Islamic school instead of secret Santa and I always go over budget Face with tears of joy this year I’m planning that for the older adults and a treasure hunt for the kids on Eid," one Twitter user said.

"Excellent work with these observations," another Twitter user added.