First time celebrating Christmas - belief or idea challenge

Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

I was sitting in my sixth grade classroom, waiting for my turn to tell the whole class what I got for Christmas. So far, everyone's presents were amazing. When it was my turn, I still didn't have an answer yet. Everyone's eyes were staring at me, and I could feel my face getting hot. Finally I said, "I didn't receive anything." Many of the students asked me why. Actually, it was because my parents never celebrate any holidays that Americans celebrate, since they're not originally from America and their culture doesn't celebrate any holidays that we celebrate here. People have asked me what I got for Christmas every year, but I always give them the same answer, which is nothing. That is when I challenged a belief or idea, when I decided to celebrate Christmas in my home. Although some say that there's nothing wrong with being different, I've always believed that being the same is better than being different.

On Christmas, my family never decorate our house, get a Christmas tree, or even exchange presents. With this in mind, my two brothers and I decided to decorate our house with Christmas ornaments and surprise our parents on Christmas morning with presents. I knew I was taking a big risk, since my parents are really religious and they're not Christian. I was both nervous and excited at the same time. I didn't know what their reaction will be, but I was willing to take the risk to find out.

What prompted me to act was the idea of wanting to be the same as others and to blend in with the people around me. Not celebrating the same holidays as others is one aspect that makes me different from them. It conveys that I am not part of them and I am different from everyone else. People have asked me what kinds of presents I've received for Christmas, and even what I ate for Thanksgiving. I didn't know how to answer them, because they would see me differently if I told them that I don't celebrate those holidays.

I personally think that my parents should start celebrating holidays, since everyone else we know celebrates them. It's not hard to try to do something new. We get more knowledge and experience when we do something new, and we only know how we feel about it when we try it for the first time. I would make the same decision again, since this event have taught me to go with my instincts. At the same time, it taught me not to be scared to do what you think is right. Overall, I was proud of what I did. My parents have now changed their aspects of holidays, and I am a step closer to being similar to everyone else around me.

Kev, This is a very interesting essay that shows the multifaceted cultures that exist in the United States today. I hope that I will be able to make suggestions that will further help enhance the content of this wonderfully conceptualized essay.


- This is a very good catalyst statement. But I think that you should have combined the fact that your family does not celebrate Christmas with the scenes that transpired int he classroom in order to make it more interesting. You could tell us what was running through your mind as your classmates started telling the class about what they received or how they spent Christmas. Let us hear that voice inside you that was starting to rebel. Then at the end of the paragraph say something like "I decided that I was not going to take it anymore. I knew that the time had come to challenge my parent's beliefs in the traditions of the old country. After all, I was both a member of the old and new country. Deep inside, I knew that I needed to honor my new country traditions just as well as I honored the old ways." or something to that effect.


- Fast forward instead to the next Christmas when you finally challenged the old ways in your home. Tell us what happened. Did you succeed in celebrating Christmas for yourself at least? How did your family take it when you told them you wanted to celebrate Christmas? If you succeeded, why do you think you were able to convince them? If you failed, do you think you will try to convince them again next year? Why is it important to you that they start to celebrate Christmas? The questions I gave you will help align your last few paragraphs with the essay prompt. Don't forget to rework the conclusion in order to work with the new essay slant. That is if you decide to revise the essay :-) We will be here to help you out.