Muslim Ramadon Tam-boon is same same as Xmas but different.

What is Ramadon? How is it similar to Christmas?

Ramadan is a Muslim religious observance of fasting for near 30 days through the month of July ending when a specific moon is observed by a specified group of Muslim priests. Muslims participating in this fast do not eat or drink during daylight hours. Muslims with medical issues such as diabetes , hypoglycemia, pregnancy, or work requiring high energy levels are exempt from observance. Unfortunately many pregnant women still observe this religious requirement and unfortunately the result is a measurable increase in less developed minds of children whose mothers observed Ramadan during their pregnancies. Another downside of Ramadan is there is a significant increase in illness such a influenza as a result of improper nutrition and large evening eating gatherings.

In other-ways celebrations, in Thailand called tam-boons, held during Ramadan and there are many on different days by different families, but not necessarily by every family, resemble Christian Christmas without the commercialism of Christmas. The commercialism of Christmas has reduced Christmas to a “what did you get for Christmas” That gift sucked .. and has totally ruined Christmas. People spend upwards or in excess of 10% of their after tax income on Christmas and usually take all the next year to pay off their credit card Christmas related charges.

25% of super chain stores annual revenues come from Christmas related spending. It's my opinion that commercialism has ruined Christmas? That's my opinion. DO you agree or disagree? Take the poll and see what other readers have to say.

How is Ramadan similar to Christmas? You ask.

Well a Ramon tam-boon is an annual religious social gathering of family, relatives, friends and neighbors, invited guests and Muslim priests. There is a gift (usually money $5) given to each child by the host family. Family and friends start gathering early in the morning 7:30 am and more volunteers show up all through the day to make food preparations for the evening feast this activity takes pretty much all day.

 

The tam-boon in these photos prepares for 100 + persons including upwards of 30 priests. The priests bless the food and the family for their generosity in providing the food and sharing it the evening meal. It is in every sense of the word a feast. The host family also provides some cash money to each priest and student priest attending (perhaps $15 each or more depending on the financial status of the host).

Here's where Ramadan differs greatly from any Christmas dinner I've ever attended in that family and neighbors gather early in the morning and together prepare the food (all day) and stay in the evening after eating to help with the cleanup. Many of the same priests from a specific region attend each every tam-boon therefore different families will hold their tam-boons on different days. These are large gatherings with many of the same people attending each tam-boon while Christmas dinner is usually a single closely held family meal. There is no commercialized gift giving!

 

All the people visit and share and most remain there till after feast and after the clean-up end when all the work is done leave with left over take away. This is what Christmas of past used be like. Would Christmas disappear if the commercialism of gift giving were removed from it? Would the super stores survive without Christmas commercialism?

Take the poll and see what other readers have to say.