MILAD MAJID | 2022

Prologue

In the glow of Munich’s holiday lights, in the hush of Nürnberg’s wintry alleys, and beneath the towering firs of Frankfurt’s Christmas square, a young woman quietly prepares to receive (or be denied) a gift. Born to a Muslim father and Catholic mother, Hala adores Christmas: the lights, the gathering, the warmth. But what happens when your favorite holiday doesn’t match your faith? In this prologue to Hoffman’s Struwwelpeter, joy and belief are placed side by side and made to stare each other down. When only “good” children receive presents, who writes the ledger that defines good and bad, worthy and unworthy? In 2022, a year marked by fierce global debates over religious visibility, from hijab protests after Mahsa Amini’s death to culture‑war skirmishes about “Christian” Europe, Hala stands at the crossroads of devotion and tradition. Milad Majid challenges audiences to examine the politics of joy, and the quiet ways gatekeeping sneaks into even the most festive of seasons.