Re: Raising kids in a different culture
They can learn about christmas all they want i wouldnt worry too much about that. Emphasis IMHO should not be on not celebrating christmas, but should be on celebrating Eid properly.
Just make sure they know the proper importance of Eid i.e. on eid day
- make it a point to not send them to school
- make it a point that you and the other half get a day off from work
- dress them up nice and tidy (not necessarily buy new clothes everytime)
- take em to eid salat, come back to a celebratory family breakfast
- spend the whole day taking them to visit relatives, family, friends, neighbours (especially others with kids their age)
- maybe a little talk about what eid is all about
- and if you want to go the extra mile even visit a charity, home for the old etc to instill a civic sense in them
- also if possible avoid talk of shopping and what savings youre getting and what deals you found.
Its not easy and it definitely requires extra effort on your part. But you'll be glad you put in that extra effort. I dont have any kids so i shouldnt be one to speak but i do have seven nephews and neices and a truckload of nephews and neices from cousins. I've been giving them this schpeil for the last however many years and it seems to be working pretty well.
I mostly agree with what Cheegum said. I'll just add that also make sure to give the kids gifts for Eid. Remember to make it something special. Growing up in Canada that worked for us just fine for us, Alhamdulillah. It also made it easier that we had many Muslim family friends who did the same. It seems like many of the Muslim families are doing the same with the newer generation.