<p>I suppose this depends what you mean by "celebrate Christmas". Even most Jews give gifts at this time of year, they just call them "Hanukkah presents". Other than the gifts part, do most non-Christian Asian/Indian-Americans do the other Christmas stuff? Decorate their house with lights, put up a tree, etc? Serve a ham for Christmas dinner or even have a Christmas dinner?</p>
<p>I just gave the Christmas thing as an example. If you come from a place where its "normal" to go to church on Sunday, I'd say your in for a shock. I don't have the percentage of Penn students who attend church every Sunday (or even any Sunday except for Easter) but between non-Christians (Jews, Hindus, etc.) and people who are atheist/non-religious) I think you'd find it to be a pretty low number. The point is anyone who is from a place where they are used to white Christians being sort of the default culture is going to be in for a shock because at Penn they are just one more minority among many.</p>
<p>christmas is my favorite holiday!!! and yea, we put up a tree, give gifts, put up lights, (my mom even has this mini nativity scene thing on the coffee table), and serve up a huge christmas feast with family. (no ham, we're veg)</p>
<p>fyi: my family is mostly hindu - a few married-in muslims too. </p>
<p>
[quote]
I don't have the percentage of Penn students who attend church every Sunday (or even any Sunday except for Easter) but between non-Christians (Jews, Hindus, etc.) and people who are atheist/non-religious) I think you'd find it to be a pretty low number.
[/quote]
I probably misunderstood you, but why should Hindus go to Church.</p>
<p>Lol, unless of course you celebrate Chanukah AND Christmas...</p>
<p>My dad is a practicing Roman Catholic and my mom is Jewish. I was raised Jewish (in the Jewish faith, you are considered what your mom is), but we celebrate all prominent Christian holidays for my dad's sake. I also come from a high school of 1300 where there are only 7 Jews. </p>
<p>I am excited about Penn not only because of the strong showing of Jews, but because of every other minority represented as well. It will be so nice to escape an area with such a homogeneous breakdown and enter a place with a wide variety of people and backgrounds. </p>
<p>Haha actually for me going to a school that is 30% Jewish would be a big change, but for a totally different reason! More than half of students in my school (including me) are Jewish, so it'll be weird to be in a place where I'm a minority, lol!!! (I'm going to another Ivy, not Penn)</p>
<p>Is being Jewish a really big thing? I have only a few Jewish people at my school, but it's not like you would even know that they were Jewish unless you asked.</p>
<p>ha im jewish and asian, so this works out good for me, i live like 20minutes from boca raton, fla which is the jew capital outside nyc, so upenn is my kind of place</p>