On December Dilemmas and February Opportunities: Candy canes are confused by Ayyam-i-Ha
> Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- As Christmas season went into full swing this year, Glen Fullmer's 7-year-old son came home from school with an assignment: Make a poster illustrating his family holiday traditions.
> The boy wasn't sure how to proceed because he and his family are Baha'is, not Christians, and they have no holidays during the Christmas season.
> Thus, Fullmer encountered the "December Dilemma" -- the term used for the quandaries and anxieties non-Christians and interfaith couples face during Christmas season.
> Fullmer, a Baha'i faith spokesman who lives in Evanston, Illinois, said he saw the poster assignment as a "teachable moment" for his 4-, 7- and 10-year-old sons who associated holiday traditions with Christmas.
> He reminded his boys that Baha'is have a gift-giving and charity period in February called Ayyam-i-Ha, a stretch of time not unlike the Christmas season.
> And he helped his son design the poster about that holiday, which precedes a fasting period and then the Baha'i New Year in March.
> "His classmates asked him questions about the holiday, and one of his friends came up to him and wants to celebrate that holiday," Fullmer said, pleased that his son's peers helped him reaffirm his identity.
Baha'i Glen Fullmer was interviewed for a story about the Christmas season on CNN.com. Glen is with the Office of Communcations at the Baha'i National Center. He is also coming to the Northwest in February (Sunday 2/14/10 from 10 am - noon)to talk with Baha'is at the Bellevue WA Baha'i Center about the use of the Internet. I'll be there with (Christmas) bells on. -gw
Calling all bloggers, podcasters, webmasters and users of social networks. If you are using your time on the Internet to promote the Faith – or want to – this session is for you. The Bahá’í National Center’s Office of Communications will be discussing best practices and recent guidance on a variety of Internet-related topics. Come with questions and ideas for new projects. This session will be both fun and results-oriented. Open to all, no registration required.
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