As a 5-year-old boy growing up in the small central Asian state of Artsakh, Mher always thought of the holiday season as a time to indulge in vanilla cake while awaiting Santa’s gifts. However, since his family’s forced migration from their homeland into neighboring Armenia, the simple joys of Christmas have been overtaken by the daily needs of his family.
For most people, the holidays are a source of joy and happiness. But they present enormous emotional challenges for refugees and migrants, particularly as they navigate a new environment and their social status as newcomers. Memories of better holidays can significantly impact the mental health of refugees, migrants, and other displaced people, often intensifying feelings of homesickness, stress, and isolation. Maintaining cultural traditions during this period is a crucial way to preserve identity while fostering community connections.
Amplifying Challenges
For those who have been displaced, every day is a reminder of what they left behind, and the holidays can often bring those feelings of loss to the surface. Last year, the children in our Child Protection Center did an art project in which they drew their Christmas wishes. Unlike here in the States, where visions of video games, consumer electronics, and clothes may top the list, our migrant children drew visions of what they left behind in a rush to evacuate: a simple toy car, a ball, a hula hoop, and even the family dog. These items are as much a connection to the homes and lives left behind as they are distractions to help pass the time in their new homes.
Holidays can also heighten feelings of loss and separation from loved ones. Research in The Journal of Refugee Studies indicates that post-migration stressors, including family separation, are significant predictors of mental health outcomes in refugees.
Around the holidays, we tend to put an emphasis on family and community. For displaced individuals, these emotions can intensify feelings of loneliness and isolation—particularly for those who have lost or are separated from family and lack the social connections and support they would have under normal circumstances.
Adapting to new holiday customs and unfamiliar surroundings is often challenging and can lead to cultural dissonance among the displaced. Studies have highlighted the importance of social connectedness as a factor in promoting mental health and well-being among migrants during resettlement.
Most Artsakhtsis celebrate Armenian Orthodox Christmas on January 6. Can you imagine the challenges of trying to wade through the traditional December 25 and subsequent New Year’s festivities in a foreign land, only to then find Christmas decorations, food, and gifts in short supply in your new homeland?
On a practical level, any expectation that displaced people may have of participating in traditional holiday-related activities such as large gatherings and meals, travel, and gift-giving can only add to their existing financial stress and contribute to anxiety and depression.
For people simply trying to survive, the notion of celebrating ‘normally’ may seem far-fetched and may be exacerbated as those around them in their host nation go about practicing their holiday traditions.
The Importance of Keeping Traditions Alive
The holidays represent a pivotal time for refugees and migrants to reconnect with their heritage while navigating new cultural landscapes. Supporting these individuals through policies, resources, and community initiatives that honor their traditions can significantly enhance their mental health and overall well-being.
Rituals and Traditions Can Promote Stability
Rituals provide a sense of stability in a fluid or traumatic environment, and holiday traditions are a great example. Despite the circumstances or location, carrying on family and cultural traditions (as much as may be possible) helps give a sense of predictability to those who are otherwise displaced. Keeping these traditions can offer some sense of stability and comfort.
Traditions help preserve identity in a foreign setting
Cultural changes leading to a loss of identity and the pressure to assimilate among displaced persons can be stressful and result in problems with self-esteem and other mental health issues.
Participating in traditional holiday events is a significant way for migrants to connect with their heritage while they continue to pass down cultural knowledge. Cooking and sharing traditional dishes, wearing traditional garments, or engaging in religious rituals, beliefs, and traditions associated with the home country can provide comfort and continuity.
Connection and Community
A huge piece of holiday traditions is the sense of connection and community. Many open their homes to friends and family or celebrate in a communal setting within their religious community. Maintaining these traditions in some form allows migrants the opportunity to bond as a society and bring in a sense of belonging.
Among the refugees we work with, this is less of a challenge as Armenian and Artsakh cultures and religious observations are quite similar in most respects. From decorating the “Tonatsar” (holiday tree) to waiting for gifts from Dzemer Papi (Santa Claus) to baking stuffed Jingalov hat pastries and paxlava (a special cake), participating in these rituals with others helps to build community. It provides a sense of unity while spreading collective joy and goodwill.
Yet, even in this positive framework, it is critical to create new links in settlements where displaced people are located. This takes effort from both sides. The displaced Artsahkis no longer have the same connections they once had. Their friends and family are often spread across the world. They are looking forward to new neighbors “opening their doors.” Meanwhile, the host community neighborhood residents already have their own deeply rooted traditions with friends and family. So, it is crucial to create new ways for the displaced people and the local community to better get to know each other through social events, school parties, parent clubs, and leisure time groups. This is one of the main efforts we have spearheaded in these communities: to create natural channels that empower people to connect, to communicate, to socialize.
A Sense of Higher Meaning and Purpose
Among the more than 100 million displaced people annually, approximately 87% identify as ‘religious.’ Holiday traditions such as Christmas or Hanukkah carry a significant sense of purpose and meaning for those who celebrate their spiritual and religious holidays rather than just following civic traditions. A key part of recognizing these holidays are rituals passed down from generation to generation. While global religions provide the framework for most holidays, migrants frequently have very localized traditional ways of celebrating that accompany them into the new land.
For centuries, these religious ceremonies and celebrations have allowed migrants to look beyond their current circumstances and connect to a higher power. This connection to a greater purpose can lead to feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment, even in times of distress.
A Sense of Excitement
Holiday traditions give us a sense of excitement and anticipation. Having something to look forward to lifts our mood. It also helps to break up the routine of daily life. That sense of excitement can last even longer than the actual event, as we can dream about the upcoming day and the traditions that come with it.
Children, as we would expect, benefit from the sense of wonder and excitement that the holidays bring. Mehr, the boy I mentioned above, described his sense of excitement: “For Christmas, I want a car toy from Santa, but when I grow up, I want to become a dad to drive a car …. Dad would set up the Christmas tree and buy lots of cakes … I love vanilla cake very much! I remember the oven was on the balcony and we would hear the very happy noise of children playing in the garden until late evening. That smell was my home, and I miss that smell.”
Organizations like ours all around the world try to help children maintain the joy of the holidays by providing gifts, food, decorations, and even Christmas trees to help keep the wonder alive. This year, we will deliver gifts to 265 displaced children living in the Syunik province of Armenia.
Resiliency and Hope
The holidays can be a trying time for displaced people attempting to adjust to a new life. As one refugee mother told us, “We faced incredibly difficult days. The children yearned for sweets, yet there was nothing to offer. It was heart-wrenching not being able to fulfill their wishes.” But it can also be a time for the resilient and vibrant migrant spirit to shine through. As this mother told us, “We’re still recovering, but we’ll get on our feet. My children are my backbone, and together, we will reach all our goals.”