| 1 | %% Second image removed per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1594823935028218500 |
| 2 | %% Please do not replace or remove current without starting a new thread. |
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| 4 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gojiraimg_assist_custom_0.jpg]] |
| 5 | [[caption-width-right:350:Even [[Franchise/{{Godzilla}} the King of the Monsters]] can't resist some Yuletide cheer!]] |
| 6 | |
| 7 | ->'''Lisa:''' Hey, I thought Krusty was Jewish.\ |
| 8 | '''Bart:''' Christmas is a time when people of ''all'' religions come together to worship Jesus Christ. |
| 9 | -->-- ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS7E11MargeBeNotProud Marge Be Not Proud]]" |
| 10 | |
| 11 | It's Christmastime again, the biggest holiday in UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}} outside Easter (which one's bigger depends on where you live), and everyone has gathered around to celebrate all the holiday traditions, open some presents, and maybe go to church. Yes, we said ''everyone'', including the people who aren't actually Christian, or even religious at all. Shows with characters who are [[InformedJudaism conspicuously Jewish]] (or simply not Christian) the rest of the year, will usually either flat out ignore this fact during the required ChristmasEpisode, or skim over it in passing in a very token sort of way. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | This could be justified in that many non-Christians socially celebrate Christmas with friends, despite having no ties to the holiday themselves. Not to mention the fact that people were throwing pagan midwinter festivals for centuries before Christ's birth and the Church simply fixed the Nativity to that date because those pagan festivities were too popular to simply ignore or suppress. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | Conversely, shows that acknowledge there are other holidays people celebrate in the season may feature a HanukkahEpisode, or even combine the two. This is also when a character with InformedJudaism is most likely to, well, inform us about it, if only with a token Menorah displayed to show diversity. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | Contrast YouMeanXmas, in which there's a non-Christian holiday that just so happens to correspond to Christmas, and SantaClausmas, where Christmas is related to Christ InNameOnly. See also AmbiguouslyChristian, where details of the character's faith are left unspecific, and JesusWasWayCool when people who aren't Christian still admire that guy Christians celebrate. No relation to EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory. |
| 18 | |
| 19 | ---- |
| 20 | !!Examples: |
| 21 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 22 | |
| 23 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 24 | * ''Anime/SailorMoon'': The ''Sailor Moon S'' Movie was set at Christmas, and the principle cast recorded a Christmas Album. |
| 25 | * ''Manga/KimagureOrangeRoad'' had a Christmas episode, involving a GroundhogDayLoop. In one loop, a bitter, stood-up Ayukawa bah-humbug'ed Christmas, subverting the trope when the interviewer suggested she must be a fundamentalist Buddhist! |
| 26 | * ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'': In the ChristmasEpisode, Soun and Genma complain some about Christmas, saying they much preferred things when Buddhism was the religion of choice in Japan. Upon being reminded that there is typically a big dinner served on Christmas, they suddenly change their tunes and start chanting "Hooray for Christmas!" |
| 27 | * Spoofed with in ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'''s sixth volume, "A Dancing Very Merry Christmas," where Christmas is less the holiday of Christ than it is the holiday of [[Film/DieHard John McClane]]. It's also noted that Sousuke, having been raised Muslim, is only passingly familiar with the holiday and only comes to assign any significance to it at all because [[SignificantBirthdate Kaname was born on Christmas Eve]]. |
| 28 | [[/folder]] |
| 29 | |
| 30 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 31 | * In one ''ComicBook/HarleyAndIvy'' comic, ComicBook/HarleyQuinn mentions how the place they're staying is boring and has no presents, despite it being December, and asks if they can at least have a Christmas tree. Her eco-terrorist friend Poison Ivy shuts her down and brings up the fact Harley is Jewish. Harley then states that she likes how bright and colorful Christmas trees are. This scene was used earlier in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' but left out the mention of Harley being Jewish. |
| 32 | * ''ComicBook/{{Shazam}}'': During the New 52 reboot, Freddy Freeman celebrates Christmas with the rest of his foster family (but since no mention is ever made of his Judaism, it's uncertain whether the New 52 version of Freddy is even meant to be Jewish, despite the fact that it used to be one of his most defining characteristics). |
| 33 | * One holiday-themed issue of ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen'' has Kitty Pryde helping Nightcrawler decorate the mansion for Christmas. When Colossus brings up the fact that Kitty is Jewish, she shrugs and says that she just enjoys the festivities and the presents. |
| 34 | [[/folder]] |
| 35 | |
| 36 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 37 | * Subverted and discussed in the fic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/2763173 Good for Goodness Sake]]''. Being Muslim, Kamala doesn't celebrate Christmas. She's also quite critical of the holiday and its commercialism. Her peers call her a Grinch for not being in the "Christmas spirit" like them. |
| 38 | * ''Fanfic/MistletoeOnMirhassa'' is a ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline''-based ChristmasEpisode that is full of this. MauveShirt Lieutenant Kate [=McMillan=] buys a local conifer tree off of a Romulan forester to put up in the USS ''Bajor'''s lounge for a Christmas party. She explains she's an atheist with a Reform Baptist father and a mother who was raised neo-Norse; for her, Christmas was just an excuse to get both of her parents in the same room with her for a few hours. Main character Kanril Eleya, a Bajoran who worships the Prophets, dated a lapsed Lutheran for a while at Starfleet Academy, and remarks in her narration that it's basically impossible to avoid at least becoming familiar with Christmas in that part of Earth. |
| 39 | * ''Fanfic/RipHerToShreds'' depicts almost all of Regina's GirlPosse in ''Mean Girls'', including Regina herself, as Jewish. None of them have an issue with dressing up for a "Jingle Bell Rock" dance number in Christmas dresses. |
| 40 | [[/folder]] |
| 41 | |
| 42 | [[folder:Films — Live-Action]] |
| 43 | * Discussed in ''Film/BlackChristmas2006'', where the wet blanket of the group complains about a "pagan sacrifice to ward off evil spirits on Christmas" re: the sorority's tradition of leaving a Christmas present for the serial killer that used to live in the house. HardDrinkingPartyGirl Lauren shows her HiddenDepths by comparing all the stereotypical Christmas items - the tree, mistletoe - to pagan practices. |
| 44 | --> "What Christmas shit in this room resembles anything Christian? It's all neo-pagan magic." |
| 45 | * ''Film/BlackChristmas2019'': Fran mentions that she's Jewish but still wishes Riley a Merry Christmas. |
| 46 | * Despite the fact that [[BetaBitch Gretchen Wieners]] in ''Film/MeanGirls'' is Jewish, she performs "Jingle Bell Rock", which is a Christmas song, with the other Plastics every year for the Winter Talent Show. {{Justified|Trope}} as Gretchen practically kowtows to [[AlphaBitch Regina]] — if Regina wants her to dance to a Christmas song, then Gretchen will dance to a Christmas song. And to be honest, "Jingle Bell Rock" is not exactly a Christmas carol — there's little Christian imagery in that song. |
| 47 | * In ''Film/DrivingMissDaisy'', the Tandy family is Jewish, but the son and daughter-in-law celebrate Christmas to blend in with their Christian neighbors. Miss Daisy visibly winces when her daughter-in-law greets her with a cheery "Merry Christmas".[[/folder]] |
| 48 | |
| 49 | [[folder:Jokes]] |
| 50 | * Irish comedian Creator/DaveAllen described a scene where the little boys who have not seen each other over the holiday meet up again at school in January. The first little boy excitedly describes unwrapping his fifty new toys. The second little boy tops that by talking about all seventy new toys he got to unwrap and how much they cost. Then both turn to the little Jewish boy. |
| 51 | -->Well. At Christmas my parents take me to the toy warehouse they own. We look at all the empty shelves. Then we go to the airport and fly to Spain for a week. |
| 52 | [[/folder]] |
| 53 | |
| 54 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 55 | * Invoked in the third of Rebecca Rubin's books in the ''Literature/AmericanGirl'' series, ''Candlelight for Rebecca.'' Rebecca, who is openly Jewish, feels pressured to participate when her teacher Mrs. Maloney announces that the students will be making a Christmas decoration to take home. She and almost all the other Jewish children in class just go along with it rather than risk being publicly shamed. One of her friends, Rose, speaks up but is shot down same as Rebecca--Mrs. Maloney says that Christmas is an "American holiday" and thus for everyone. Rebecca is concerned that her family will be angry and ashamed of her for making a Christmas decoration (especially after her mother scolds her older sisters for singing Christmas carols and wearing festive red and green ribbons, reminding them that they aren't Christian and ''don't'' celebrate the holiday.) She shamefully brings the decoration home (unlike Rose who completes the project, but throws her decoration away when they bring them home), but her grandmother is pleased that Rebecca obeyed her teacher ''and'' created something beautiful in the process. Rebecca ends up giving the decoration to a Christian resident of their tenement building as a gift. |
| 56 | * ''Literature/HarryPotter'' makes no mention of anyone's religion (WordOfGod says that minor character Anthony Goldstein is Jewish, suggesting wizards can come from any background), but Hogwarts has an annual Christmas celebration for those who remain at the school during the holidays. |
| 57 | * Subverted in ''Literature/{{Parrotfish}}''. Grady's mother is Jewish and only begrudgingly puts up with her husband's obsession with Christmas. |
| 58 | * Dr. Walid from the ''Literature/RiversOfLondon'' series is a Scottish convert to Islam, but he happily travels to spend Christmas with his family, explaining that: "They celebrate Christmas and I celebrate them." He even brings the turkey, to ensure it's halal. |
| 59 | * Subverted and averted in the ''Literature/VillageTales'' series. Only Christians are expected to observe Christmas (and the Rector is not terribly chuffed with the sort of parishioner who turns up only for Christmas and Easter, and has worked to church them better). But there ''is'' a Christian, and indeed effectively Anglican (after all, the Church of England ''is'' Established), service -- annually -- in which Sikh, Muslim, and unchurched characters ([[spoiler:and the retired [[UsefulNotes/NepaliWithNastyKnives Gurkhas]]]]) living in the District, all participate. It's not Christmas. It's [[UsefulNotes/ThePoppy Remembrance Sunday]], and no bones about it. |
| 60 | [[/folder]] |
| 61 | |
| 62 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 63 | * ''Series/{{Cheers}}'' regular Lilith Sternin celebrates Christmas even though she's ''very'' Jewish. |
| 64 | * On ''Series/{{Glee}}'', "A Very Glee Christmas" has Rachel predictably mention her Jewishness as a reason for why she doesn't normally give Christmas presents, but dressing up, decking the halls, and singing Christmas carols, on the other hand, are totally fine. Puck, who also likes to conspicuously mention his Judaism, never says anything about it in the episode. Made even worse in later season's Christmas episodes "Extraordinary Merry Christmas" and "Previously Unaired Christmas" where Rachel's Judaism isn't even given a passing mention (nor is Puck's for that matter) and she's all about Christmas. It was at least subverted in season four's "Glee, Actually" where Puck and his brother Jake have an entire sequence about them celebrating Hannukah with their mothers. |
| 65 | * The "Secret Santa" episode of ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'' puts a dreidel by the name of Creator/SaulRubinek (the actor playing Artie) in the credits, and Claudia does give a Jewish prayer at the end of the episode. But most of Artie and Claudia's plotline in the episode revolves around the Christmas present she is trying to get him (which ends up being both a musical instrument and a reunion with his father). |
| 66 | * ''Series/TheNanny'', a show that had a Jewish main character, Fran Fine, and her Jewishness came up in most episodes, had several Christmas specials. |
| 67 | ** Season 3's "Oy To The World" was an animated Christmas special, drawn in the style of the AnimatedCreditsOpening. |
| 68 | ** Another ChristmasEpisode was quite ecumenical, season 6's "The Hanukkah Story" shows Fran praying together with a (Christian) nun, and the ChristmasMiracle that saves Maxwell, Gracie and C.C. was intentionally similar to the miracle in [[TitleDrop the Hanukkah story]]. |
| 69 | * On ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', Willow once mentioned that her dad didn't like her watching Christmas specials on television and she had to sneak over to Xander's house to do it. She also mentions her religion both times it's Christmas in the series ("Amends" and a flashback in "The Body"), but in the latter still has a big holiday feast with everybody else. |
| 70 | * [[InvertedTrope Inverted]], or at least exported on ''Series/SportsNight''. Dan gets the crew together for a Passover Seder despite the fact that he and Jeremy are the only Jewish characters. |
| 71 | * Pretty much every comedy and variety show in the early days of television (and, before that, on radio) had at least one elaborate Christmas episode, with Christmas carols and everything. This can sometimes seem weird with obviously Jewish comedians like Eddie Cantor. When you think about it, it seems odd even with less stereotypical Jewish comedians, like [[Radio/TheJackBennyProgram Jack Benny]] and Creator/GeorgeBurns (he was Jewish, but Creator/GracieAllen was Catholic). |
| 72 | * In one Christmas episode of ''Series/{{House}}'', someone had to remind Wilson that he's Jewish. It didn't stop him from celebrating Christmas with vocal atheist House. |
| 73 | * In an early ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'' episode, the aliens tried to figure out what ethnicity they should be, eventually settling on Jewish. Their supposedly being Jewish was occasionally mentioned in a subsequent episode but was not mentioned at all in the Christmas episode. |
| 74 | * Oddly enough, Mike Stivic from ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' enjoyed celebrating Christmas even though he was an outspoken atheist. His view was that [[JesusWasWayCool Jesus was a good man whose birth was worth celebrating, even if he (Mike) didn't believe that he was actually the Son of God]]. |
| 75 | * In ''Series/{{Friends}}'', Ross and Monica celebrate Christmas, though they're Jewish. |
| 76 | * [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] in ''Series/NeverWipeTearsWithoutGloves'' where Paul, who is Jewish, puts up tons of Christmas decorations and hosts an annual Christmas party for his TrueCompanions. The other characters [[LampshadeHanging frequently call him on it]] but he just shrugs it off. |
| 77 | -->'''Paul:''' Here's to the savior! |
| 78 | -->'''Seppo:''' You're Jewish. |
| 79 | -->'''Paul:''' So what? Besides, Jesus was, too. |
| 80 | * Lampshaded on ''Series/FridayNightDinner''. The whole premise of the series is about a Jewish family meeting for Sabbath dinner, yet the 2nd season finale is a ChristmasEpisode. Throughout the episode, Adam frequently tells his mother how ridiculous it is that they're having an elaborate Christmas dinner, pointing out it's a Christian celebration for the birth of Jesus, whereas his mother claims it's just a universal holiday (mostly because of its large commercialism). When the rest of the family (reluctantly) turn up, Adam's father's mother (nicknamed Horrible Grandma) actually refuses to call it Christmas dinner, instead claiming it's for Hanukkah. |
| 81 | * ''Series/{{Community}}'': |
| 82 | ** Notably averted in "Comparative Religion". Fed up with the Dean's pushing an inclusive, nondenominational holiday, Shirley organizes an overtly religious Christmas party, then is surprised to find she's the only Christian in the study group. Annie is Jewish, Abed is Muslim, Britta is an atheist, Jeff is agnostic (called "lazy man's atheist"), Pierce is in a New Age cult calling itself Buddhist, and Troy is a Jehovah's Witness (technically Christian but doesn't observe Christmas). |
| 83 | ** Carried over in the third season's "Regional Holiday Music", in which Troy is slated to spend the day with his family that pointedly doesn't observe Christmas. Shirley plans to gift her "persuadable Jewish friends" with a surprise visit from her pastor, while Annie plans to observe her people's custom of spending the day at the movies with her 'bubbie'. |
| 84 | ** Also in "Regional Holiday Music," played with when [[ItMakesSenseInContext Annie gets brainwashed into joining the Glee club]]. She tries to seduce Jeff into joining by putting on a SexySantaDress and acting like a BrainlessBeauty who knows absolutely nothing about Christmas due to being a Jew. Jeff is more squicked than anything; it's been established that he's attracted to her because she's intelligent and mature, so lapsing into BabyTalk and calling him "daddy" is the exact opposite of what he wants. |
| 85 | --->'''Jeff:''' You are an intelligent woman. Also you're Jewish. |
| 86 | ** In "[[Recap/CommunityS2E11AbedsUncontrollableChristmas Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas]]", Abed mentions that, despite being Muslim, he's always loved Christmas, though it may be more due to memories of Christmas with his mother than the holiday itself. |
| 87 | * Averted in ''Series/{{Arrow}}'': when Oliver wishes Felicity Smoak a merry Christmas, she explains that she doesn't celebrate it because she's Jewish. |
| 88 | * On ''Series/TheGoldbergs'', Beverly is jealous of the Kremp's Christmas celebrations and decides to turn Hanukkah into "Super Hanukkah", where they gather around the Hanukkah bush and save all the present giving for the last day... in other words, Christmas. Pops is upset that his daughter is betraying their heritage and tries to rectify things. Meanwhile, Adam and Barry are shown watching Christmas specials and movies and get involved in a subplot parodying the TongueOnTheFlagpole scene from ''Film/AChristmasStory''. |
| 89 | * Averted in ''Series/CrazyExGirlfriend'' where Rebecca is seen casually dumping her Christmas decorations in the trash and putting up Chanukah ones before her very judgemental JewishMother comes to visit. |
| 90 | * In the Norwegian Christmas series ''Jul i Skomakergata'' (Christmas in Shoemaker Street), the main character, shoemaker Jens Petrus Andersen owns a bible. But the only time we see it during the 24-episode-long series (and indeed the only time religion is mentioned) is when he picks it up on Christmas Eve to read the Nativity tale to the neighbourhood kids. |
| 91 | * ''Series/SchittsCreek'': Subverted. Stevie wishes Patrick a Merry Christmas and when David asks why she didn't do the same to him, she replies that she thought he was Jewish. David explains that his father is Jewish and his mother is not so he is a "half and half situation" and then complains that his father wants him to celebrate Christmas even though he has no authority over the holiday. His father Johnny is portrayed as embracing the secular side of Christmas but also searching for the family's menorah. |
| 92 | * In ''Series/ChristmasEveOnSesameStreet'', the Jewish Mr. Hooper generally takes part in the rest of the street's Christmas celebrations and even hangs a wreath and a sign that says "Noel" in his store. Still, Bob does wish him "Happy Hanukkah," to which he responds with a warm, grateful smile. |
| 93 | * Invoked in ''Series/TheMarvelousMrsMaisel'', when Midge (who is very explicitly Jewish) performs at a late 1950s USO show and is expected to sing "White Christmas" for the finale, despite not knowing the lyrics. She (poorly) mouths along with the rest of the ensemble. Particularly ironic, considering "White Christmas" was itself written by a Jewish composer (see below). |
| 94 | * ''Series/{{NCIS}}'': Downplayed, but Ziva, Jewish and a BadassIsraeli, embraces the Christmas traditions of her American colleagues. This seems to be more about embracing her new culture in general rather than the actual holiday, as she also celebrates Thanksgiving with the team. In season 6, she happily joins in as Tony screens "Its a Wonderful Life" in MTAC; in season 7, she helps Tony with his Secret Santa gift when he draws a coworker in another department who dislikes him; and in season 10, when Tony's father comes to spend the holidays with him and gifts her with homemade cookies, she enthusiastically thanks him and tells him that although she doesn't celebrate Christmas, she enjoys the festivities that accompany the season. |
| 95 | [[/folder]] |
| 96 | |
| 97 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 98 | * "[[Music/MerryChristmas White Christmas]]", the best-selling single of all time, was written by Music/IrvingBerlin, who was Jewish. So were such composers and/or lyricists as Mel Tormé ("The Christmas Song"), Johnny Marks ("Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", among other seasonal ditties), J. Fred Coots ("Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"), Walter Kent ("I'll Be Home for Christmas"), Al Stillman ("Home for the Holidays"), Jerry Herman ("We Need a Little Christmas"), George Wyle ("It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"), Felix Bernard ("Winter Wonderland"), Mitchell Parish ("Sleigh Ride"), Ray Evans ("Silver Bells"), and Frank Loesser ("Baby, It's Cold Outside"). Of course, it's worth pointing out that none of these are particularly ''religious''-themed ChristmasSongs and in fact some of them [[SantaClausmas don't even mention the holiday by name]]. |
| 99 | ** A religious example would be "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing", set to a movement of Music/FelixMendelssohn's ''Festgesang'' {{cantata}}. Mendelssohn was a baptized and practicing Lutheran, but also embraced his Jewish ancestry.[[note]]Mendelssohn composed the piece in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of UsefulNotes/JohannesGutenberg's introduction to Europe of movable type.[[/note]] |
| 100 | ** Then there's "O Holy Night", which features music written by a Jewish composer (Adolphe Adam), original French lyrics written by an atheist (Placide Cappeau), and English lyrics written by a Unitarian minister (John Sullivan Dwight). |
| 101 | * Such Jewish artists as Music/BarbraStreisand, Music/BetteMidler, Music/NeilDiamond, Music/BarryManilow, and Music/KennyG have all recorded Christmas albums. |
| 102 | * A variant example: Music/TheJacksonFive released a very popular Christmas album in 1970, but being that they were Jehovah's Witnesses, they were Christians who would not have themselves celebrated Christmas. |
| 103 | [[/folder]] |
| 104 | |
| 105 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 106 | * Played incredibly straight in Creator/TomStoppard's ''Theatre/{{Leopoldstadt}}''. The play opens on a scene of the two interwoven and very Jewish families celebrating Christmas together, as a sibling from each family has "married out" -- one to a Protestant, the other to a Catholic. Includes jokes about one grandson being baptised and circumcised in the same week, and another grandchild putting a Star of David atop of the Christmas tree. |
| 107 | [[/folder]] |
| 108 | |
| 109 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 110 | * Subverted in the ''VideoGame/SaintsRowIV'' DLC "[[SavingChristmas How the Saints Saved Christmas]]". While attempting to harness the spirit of Christmas to stop [[BadSanta Santa Clawz]], future Kinzie realizes that Christmas alone won't provide enough holiday energy and calls upon other solstice-era holidays, like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and even Festivus (although the latter has several {{Take That}}s aimed at it). |
| 111 | [[/folder]] |
| 112 | |
| 113 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 114 | * ''Website/CollegeHumor'': Lampshaded in "The Six Christmas Movies You Live Through", which points out how many popular children's cartoon characters celebrate Christmas, including [[Anime/PokemonTheSeries Pikachu]]. |
| 115 | * ''Roleplay/DCNation'' works with this yearly with the annual compromise at the Dibny household. Ralph gets to decorate (copious amounts of purple are involved), and he gets to be a big, stretchy kid. (This has been amplified since their daughter came into the picture) Topping the tree is a "only a good idea in the '50s" electric menorah with bright purple lights. Sue just stands back and lets him because she thinks it's side-splittingly funny to watch her hubby and daughter literally bounce around the house. |
| 116 | * Music/MitchBenn's [[https://www.patreon.com/posts/mitch-benns-23526631 Christmas Message]] takes the view that the midwinter festival is an ancient thing, and there's nothing wrong with calling it Christmas, but that doesn't mean it's just for Christians, concluding that if only Christians get to have Christmas, then only Vikings get to have Thursday. |
| 117 | * Par for the course in ''WebVideo/JakeAndAmir'', but [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] when Amir [[PsychopathicManchild sends a threatening letter to Santa Claus]], prompting Jake to say, "You know you're Jewish, right?" |
| 118 | * ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'': The ''Christmas Tree of Might'' special shows that Christmas is celebrated throughout the ''universe'' (at least, on planets that weren't conquered by Freeza, who replaced the holiday with Freeza Day), despite no indication that Christianity exists. Santa ''is'' a very real figure who visits every planet (or at least attempts to), so there's a justification for a secular celebration. Played straighter among the main cast: |
| 119 | --> '''Krillin:''' Wait, Tien, aren't you Jewish? Do you even celebrate Christmas? |
| 120 | --> '''Tien:''' I'm trying to be culturally sensitive, [[HypocriticalHumor you Buddhist ass!]] |
| 121 | * ''WebVideo/FrenchBaguetteIntelligence'' discusses this trope, specifically asking if atheists should celebrate Christmas. |
| 122 | [[/folder]] |
| 123 | |
| 124 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 125 | * ''WesternAnimation/AsToldByGinger'' has Ginger discover she's part Jewish and insists on celebrating Chanukah. She's even reluctant to bake Christmas cookies with Dodie because of it. She ultimately decides to throw an 'Even Stevens' holiday party - with both Christmas and Chanukah themes. |
| 126 | * In ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'', Ron is explicitly Jewish, but doesn't stop him from having an unbridled and passionate love for celebrating Christmas. |
| 127 | * {{Lampshaded}} on ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom,'' when [[PerkyGoth Sam]] notes that she loves Christmas despite not even celebrating it. (Notably, the Hanukkah scene later in the episode is [[InformedJudaism the only indication she's Jewish]] in the entire series.) |
| 128 | * Lampshaded at least twice in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': |
| 129 | ** One episode where Kent Brockman, hosting the Springfield Christmas Parade, extols the holiday as a wonderful season "whether you're Christian, or simply not Jewish." |
| 130 | ** Namechecked by Lisa and Bart when watching a Krusty Christmas special. |
| 131 | --->'''Lisa''': Hey, I thought Krusty was Jewish.\ |
| 132 | '''Bart''': Christmas is a time when people of all religions come together to worship Jesus Christ. |
| 133 | ** Invoked on the episode where Lisa becomes a Buddhist ([[Recap/TheSimpsonsS13E6SheOfLittleFaith "She Of Little Faith"]]). Utilizing the fact that it's Christmas ([[DidIMentionItsChristmas even though this is the episode's first mention of the holiday season]]), the family makes the house as nice as possible and essentially lure Lisa back with presents (Lisa, both because she learns to be more open-minded with other people's religious beliefs and because she wants to get presents, pretty much does). |
| 134 | ** And lampshaded later by Krusty's father in a musical number: |
| 135 | ---> Even though we're not Gentile |
| 136 | ---> We get together for a while |
| 137 | ---> To shoot the breeze |
| 138 | ---> And eat Chinese |
| 139 | ---> 'Cos Christmas time is here! Oy! |
| 140 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'' spends its whole ChristmasEpisode with [[TheDitz Billy]] an obsessed lover of Christmas, only to offhandedly mention in TheStinger that he actually celebrates Hanukkah. However, from the way that Billy says it, it sounds like he and his family only celebrate it as a way to get more presents. |
| 141 | * On ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'', the cast are all lamenting the fact that Santa isn't coming, when [[TheHero Phineas]] asks [[TheHeart Isabella]] if there's a special Christmas gift she's worried about not getting. Despite having participated fully in the ChristmasEpisode so far she admits that her family doesn't celebrate Christmas, so it really doesn't matter to her. |
| 142 | -->"But I got the coolest gifts for Hanukkah! Eight straight days of dreams come true! ...I mean, I'm with you guys. Boo, no Christmas." |
| 143 | ** The second Christmas special indicates that she actually celebrates [[TakeAThirdOption both]]. |
| 144 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'': |
| 145 | ** Tommy is half-Jewish on his mother's side, and naturally has an episode celebrating Chanukah in addition to Christmas. The other families, who are Christian, take part in the Chanukah celebrations too, inverting the trope. They do similar with an episode about Passover. |
| 146 | ** There's also the variant where Susie is given an episode celebrating Kwanzaa, while the other babies are at her house. Although Susie was actually absent from both the {{Christmas Episode}}s of the parent series, she features in the one in ''WesternAnimation/AllGrownUp''. |
| 147 | * ''WesternAnimation/SabrinaTheAnimatedSeries'' has Chloe's father throwing a Christmas party and dressing up as Santa, while forcing Chloe to dress up as an elf. In the process of invoking YetAnotherChristmasCarol with [[AlphaBitch Gem]], when she witnesses this scene, wonders why they're doing this since "her family celebrates Kwanzaa". |
| 148 | * Averted on ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', with Kyle's song "A Lonely Jew on Christmas". |
| 149 | -->It's hard to be a Jew on Christmas\ |
| 150 | My friends won't let me join in any games \ |
| 151 | And I can't sing Christmas songs or decorate a Christmas tree\ |
| 152 | Or leave water out for Rudolph 'cause there is something wrong with me\ |
| 153 | My people don't believe in Jesus Christ's divinity! |
| 154 | ** On the other hand, there's Mr. Garrison's song... |
| 155 | -->Hey there Mr. Muslim, Merry f**king Christmas\ |
| 156 | Put down that book the Koran and hear some holiday wishes.\ |
| 157 | In case you haven't noticed It's Jesus's birthday.\ |
| 158 | So get off your heathen Muslim ass and f**king celebrate. |
| 159 | ** This is played straight in "Christmas Snow," where Kyle and his family [[SeriesContinuityError are shown celebrating Christmas.]] |
| 160 | * Averted (somewhat preachily) in ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'': In the holiday special for the series, which explores the religious aspects of Christmas, everybody in Virgil's religiously/ethnically-diverse neighbourhood takes part in Christmas celebrations...but also Hannukkah and even Ramadan events. |
| 161 | * Taken to hilarious extremes in ''WesternAnimation/MickeysMagicalChristmasSnowedInAtTheHouseOfMouse'', but also actually justified--Mickey makes a wish that "everyone" would have Christmas spirit, and it meant everyone, even characters whose original work took place in pre- or non-Christian cultures. While it's easy to believe good guys already having Christmas spirit in the name of friendship, even some bad guys are shown partaking in the merriment--and one of those bad guys, Hades, ''is a god himself''. |
| 162 | * ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'': The only indication Launchpad is even Jewish is the fact that he wore a Hanukkah sweater to the Duck family's Christmas party, where he's an active participant in Christmas cheer and leads the carol. Then again, this is [[CloudCuckooLander Launchpad]], so maybe he bought the sweater without realizing what it meant. |
| 163 | * In ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'', Anne's family is shown to be avidly into Christmas despite being first-generation Thai immigrants--Thailand's population is around 1% Christian compared to 93% varying stripes of Buddhism and 5% Muslim, and all indications are that they themselves are Buddhist. In their case, it seems to be a case of ImmigrantPatriotism, as they have a great desire to fit in--when they make a float for the local parade, it features a lot of Buddhist imagery. |
| 164 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus'': The conclusion of the ChristmasEpisode has the class follow Arnold on his family Christmas trip to see since he won't be able to go to the charity pageant the rest were planning to attend. Arnold is Jewish, but they give him Christmas presents anyway. |
| 165 | [[/folder]] |
| 166 | |
| 167 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 168 | * In the western world, major Christian holidays have become so ingrained in the culture that virtually everyone celebrates in some way, if for no other reason than they get time off from work and school. In the United States, 8 out of 10 non-Christians celebrate Christmas in some way, |
| 169 | * UsefulNotes/ChristmasInJapan is more or less entirely secular, although some Buddhist families justify it by teaching about Hoteiosho, who is a Buddhist figure similar to Santa Claus. |
| 170 | * Some Muslim-majority countries observe Christmas out of respect to their Christian minorities, and of course to have another excuse to decorate the streets and drum up sales in the stores. Pakistan, Senegal, and Indonesia[[note]]which also formally observe Hindu and Buddhist holidays[[/note]] set up prominent classic Christmas activities like Santa meets and outdoor Christmas trees. |
| 171 | * As most religious folks can attest, many people who don't think much about UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}} the rest of the year do make it a point to go to Christmas services. Churches generally offer special services with concerts or other presentations to attract them and hopefully persuade them to come more regularly.[[note]]These people are often known -- even to themselves -- as "CEO Christians", CEO standing for '''C'''hristmas and '''E'''aster '''O'''nly (meaning those are the only two times of the year where said person goes to church).[[/note]] |
| 172 | * {{Inverted}}: A few UsefulNotes/{{Christian|ity}} sects such as Jehovah's Witnesses and (certain) Quakers don't believe in celebrating any holidays at all, as they believe that all days should be treated as equally holy. So at Christmas time, they can appear to be ''less'' conspicuously Christian than all their secular friends who are merrily celebrating the birth of UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}}. There's {{irony}} for you. |
| 173 | * Also inverted with the obscure Jewish custom of [[https://jewishjournal.com/culture/religion/213258/ "Nittel Nacht"]] on December 24, where Jews are basically supposed to go out of their way to avoid doing anything to dignify Christmas Eve, with some communities even regarding Christmas Eve as a Halloween-ish night where evil spirits roam free. This arose out of tension between Jews and Christians in medieval Europe. These days, only some ultra-Orthodox sects even acknowledge Nittel Nacht, and [[AllJewsAreAshkenazi it's never been practiced by the Sephardim]], who historically didn't live in areas where Christianity was dominant. |
| 174 | * In 2016, the country of Sri Lanka claimed the record for building [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankan_Christmas_tree the world's tallest Christmas tree]], standing at a whopping 72 meters or 237 feet in height. Sri Lanka is a Buddhist-majority country (although they have significant Hindu, Muslim, and Christian minorities). The tree was built in part as a symbol of unity and peace between the country's different religious groups, though, ironically, the strongest opposition to the project came from the local Catholic Church. |
| 175 | * In December 2013, the Muslim Council of Britain responded to some "War on Christmas" rhetoric from newspapers by releasing an [[https://mcb.org.uk/keep-calm-christmas/ official statement]] that they did not want to ban Christmas and "some Muslims will join in those celebrations, remembering too that Jesus was an important Prophet of Islam". |
| 176 | [[/folder]] |
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