Given that Christianity predominates over other religions, it should come as no surprise that the United States is greatly affected by it. For instance, most employers and students have time off on holidays such as Christmas and Easter. However, it is important to acknowledge that while these Christian holidays are mainly recognized and celebrated, there are other holidays that are significant to other religious groups and are often neglected. 

One could argue that Christianity is the biggest religious group in the U.S. While that is true, it is important to realize that the United States does not have an official religion and is often referred to as a ‘“melting pot.” So, by celebrating one and disregarding the rest, it shows that one group’s holiday is more significant to others. Additionally, the Constitution emphasizes the separation of church and state. The government must not recognize other religious holidays as national holidays in order to remain completely unbiased.

Individuals who do not celebrate the mainstream holidays are left to either neglect their own holidays or inconveniently take time off from work or school since it was not already prebuilt into their schedule. For instance, many students like myself were forced to take a day off on the Eid Al-fitr which is a holiday Muslims celebrate after the month of Ramadan. I do not expect all of our holidays to be recognized, but if we are able to have a month off for Christmas then surely we are able to have one day off for Eid. 

I think recognizing other holidays is especially impactful on children. The environment in which we grow up in plays a vital role in the way we view the world. When a child grows up in an environment in which they are consistently left out and unable to participate in festive events in a classroom like Christmas parties, for example, it will lead them to believe that their holidays are not as important as everybody else’s and not worth celebrating. 

In addition to promoting inclusivity, recognizing other holidays would also promote diversity. Children who are exposed to diverse cultures will develop a feeling of respect and understanding as well as the ability to identify differences in their own views. It will also encourage them to be tolerant of other beliefs that do not align with their own. 

There are many benefits to recognizing other holidays. In addition to promoting inclusivity, it also encourages diversity and unification. As our society becomes more diverse, I hope that we can put greater efforts into embracing other cultures and holidays. 

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