Re: Valentines day? - History and Islamic Perspective
Surely you know that is not the archetypical point of view. If you are not practicing accepted religious norms you are going to be somewhat of an outcast.
Since when is butting into how people celebrate their love lives a religious norm??
As for Christmas, you don't need to celebrate that as its celebrated as a religious holiday by Christians.
But don't tell me you don't put on your sweater and go out to the malls to take advantage of holiday sales and don't tell me you've never drank hot cocoa in the cold weather in the states or ordered one of the specialty Christmas drinks from the Starbucks menu before heading off to class or that you took your winter holidays and took some rest. As a muslim, there is nothing wrong with celebrating the HOLIDAY season, which is quite different from celebrating Christmas. (applies to US guppies; I don't know how winter is celebrated in other countries, but I am sure there are festivities as it brings in the new year).
You know, marketing gurus have made the holiday season espcially warm for you folks who are anti-Christmas. You can wish people with "happy holidays" instead of "merry christmas". And you can actually buy Winter gifts for family and friends, as gift-giving sure isn't haraam. And you can certainly celebrate the cold weather and the turning of the new year. And smile, be merry. It wont kill you to wish someone a "happy holidays". :)
Or instead you can be a scrooge and just scowl at everyone as they try to enjoy some secular holidays that are nothing more than an excuse to get time away from work and enjoy life in a very halaal way.