Muslim's Christmas invitation goes viral

As a Muslim, Kolding resident Hussein Allouch does not celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday but that hasn’t stopped him from spreading holiday cheer throughout much of Denmark. 

 

Allouch took to Facebook last week to invite any local residents who will be alone on Christmas to join him and his family. 

 

“As Muslims, we don’t celebrate Christmas Eve. But because I have three wonderful children, I have chosen to hold a sort of Christmas Eve for their sake. And therefore I have three extra places for both large and small. So if someone is going to be alone on Christmas Eve and would like to come over and have a cosy time, they are more than welcome to join us,” he wrote in a post that has since gone viral. 

 

Allouch promised that the evening will have all the fixings of a traditional Danish Christmas with “duck, cabbage and potatoes with brown sauce”. 

 

“You don’t need to bring a gift, just a good attitude!”, his post concluded. 

 

The open invitation quickly made its way across Facebook, racking up thousands of ‘likes’ and scores of comments from Danes touched by the generous offer. 

 

“Super cool! In these times in which people have such a distorted view of immigrants and refugees, you are proving them wrong!” wrote Ida Jørgensen. 

 

“The world would be a better place if there were more people like you, Hussein. Respect!” added Christian Rabjerg Madsen. 

 

Allouch’s kindness has also spread. He reported on Facebook that others have now offered to help him entertain his guests.

 

“Now there are some lovely private individuals that want to help. Someone has transferred money while others have sponsored the duck and a company wants to buy gifts for us and our guests. It is just so cool that so much help is coming in from people. There is hope out there,” he wrote on Facebook.