Celebrating Xmas - Not Politically Correct?

[spagblog]

Funding withdrawn for Christmas lights and decorations in suffolk

story here

I would hate to see towns unable to actively celebrate traditional Christian festivals, just because we are becoming a more culturally diverse society.
Preserving "our ways" and traditions is as important IMO as accepting others

[compo]

what a load of nonsense!

[oliveoil]

well our town hall has a big santa on the top, a happy Eid sign and a happy Divali sign as well. And a big poppy.

So it can be done.

[hunkermunker]

Load of old boggins.

Did you read about the teacher who'd banned tinsel in hair?

[expatinscotland]

I'd be bummed if Edinburgh didn't do the lights, skating rink, big ferris wheel, German market.

Nothing like bundling up and nibbling toasted almonds and sipping gluwein whilst watching skaters fall on their ar&£s. .

[sweetmonkey]

im sorry but this is bloody ridiculous.
we just had a copy of the new royal mail "christmas" stamps and they include most religions i think.

why cant christmas lights stay being called christmas lights, instead of winter lights.

seriously winds me up

[ChaCha]

Just going too far if you ask me!!
I don't celebrate the birth of Christ anymore but i certainly don't agree that Christmas lights are politically incorrect! What utter nonsense!! And why should they be called 'winter lights'? So, it's okay for us to decorate the streets for other religious festivals but not for the religion of the majority of this country?
Absolute codswallop! I'm disgusted.

[Sai]

This makes me so angry.
Its always stupid taking-pc-too-far councils who make these decisions and then it looks like that ethnic minorities, esp. muslims, object to Christmas.
Its ridiculous.
I have never heard of anyone, whatever their background, objecting to Christmas. No one is offended by Christmas.
I don't know in whose best interest they make these decisions because it upsets everyone.

[sharklet]

This winds me up so much. A multi cultural society surely meana you can celebrate every culture's festivals!!! Why on earth town councils start thinking that it means they have to discriminate against Christians I have no idea. It is discrimination. If they suddenly stopped outting money towards celebrating other religious festivals they have always supported that were not christian then people would be up in arms. Surely if they want to be fair they could share that pool of money between the prevalent religious celebrations recognised in the area (I don't know whatthe ethnic mix is there) but hinestly it is ridiculous and it is discrimination.

Bugs me no end!

[wessexgirl]

Oh well. If it's any consolation, variations on this story have been in the press every year since I was a nipper and nothing much has really changed.

The papers HAVE to have at least six of these types of story per festive season. It's the law.

[RnBlood]

don't agree with the non PC bit, but do think Councils spend ridiculous amounts of money of Christmas decorations/lights.

How can they justify it when there are many other things to spend it on, eg kids with special needs or old people.

[wessexgirl]

RnBlood, a local council in my area was named & shamed in the national press as the 'meanest town in Britain' 3 years in a row because their Christmas lights weren't considered festive enough.

Now every time I go to this town all the shops have got collection tins to which the public are expected to contribute. Which makes me always think "Er....hang on, we've had a tsunami/massive earthquake/huge humanitarian crisis in Africa this year, not to mention the usual good causes...and you want me to pay for your Christmas lights too...I think not!"

[cardQUEENcod]

these are someones parpt hreads who si it?

[Gobbledigook]

Lordy, lordy

[harpsichordcarrier]

load of old nonsense though isn't it really
they just want an excuse not to spend money
like those corporate cut backs dressed up as a return to core values
"we are going to focus on our core values and product" i.e. we're going to close the canteen, sack anyone over 40 and stop the Chrimbo party. oh and you're all going to drive Fiat Pandas."
don't fall for it.

[Caligula]

But it's not a Christian festival.

It's one celebrated by everyone. I know Jews who give each others Christmas presents, because they don't bother to celebrate Chanukah, being non-religious. I'm an atheist and I give Christmas presents. My Muslim friends celebrate Christmas. In fact, the only person I know who doesn't, is a mad ole aunt of a friend of mine who is a Jehovah's witness, and she doesn't go in for birthdays either - or any celebrations really. (Or fridges or central heating, or anything that makes life easier and pleasanter. But that's just her, not necessarily because she's a JW, before the JW's get offended.)

It may have some of its origins in Christianity (and we all know its only some) but in a secular Britain, it's not really a Christian festival unless you choose for it to be.

[sharklet]

Thats true Caligula - it is a multi-cultural celebratin in itself as it pinched other people's celebrations anyway to encourage them to be christians becasue then they cou ld still have thier big winter bash for the solstice etc.

Also like you say many nations embrace it too just as we embrace other celebrations like chinese new year etc. Where I used to live Diwali was huge.

PCness gone mad!

[HRHQoQ]

Christmas - Christ's Mass

Yuletide - celebrating the pagan festival of Yule....

[nightowl]

ah well, santa was banned in our local shopping centre last year because apparently it was "racist" to have him there...whatever next?

[Tortington]

i am in a nether region ( so to speak) where i feel not fully informed.


on the one hand i want to say - what a load of old shit.

on the other hand am thinking - a council cannot just give £10,000 to a christian celebration - it would have to show the same generosity to major celebrations of all faiths. it cannot be seen to be discriminatory. it is discriminatory if someone from the muslim elders spoke to council and asked for similar amount of money for an eid celebration.

suddenly fuck me the council tax has gone up 30%


however - christmas is a great time for a boost int he economy, and for attracting shoppers. great lights attract visitors from other towns - thereby boosting sales in their town and attracting business and consumers to the town - lights do help this - thats why in some towns shopkeepers pay towards the lights.


so there you go - a jekyl and hyde thingy macwoozit.

what do you think?

[Rhubarb]

I think Christmas should be banned!

Bah humbug to you all!

[Tortington]

so do i - save a fking fortune

[monkeytrousers]

"Last week a decision by Lambeth Council in south London to call Christmas lights "Winter Lights" was condemned as showing a "total lack of respect" for Christians."

Barp!

[monkeytrousers]

Tut! I mean parp!

[stitch]

i love christmas
i do think that councils spend ridiculous anounts of money on lighting. but i dont see why we cant celebrate christmas.
the way i see it, christmas is a british festival, i dont think it has anything to do with jesus, and i love all the glitz

and im muslim.