To exclude one child (out of 21)? Christmas cards at nursery

[QwertyLou]

To be clear, I don’t want to leave this little lad out (nor does DS - they’re good mates) but we have to, due to his parents’ request.

So it’s more of a “how do I handle this?”

I wasn’t going to worry about Christmas cards this year (we did them last year - one for each child in his room).

But today I ended up cutting up cardboard, setting up paints, stamps etc and helped him make cards... He’s been home sick - quite lethargic, but well enough to need occupying.

We now have 21 Christmas cards, lovingly handcrafted and ready to go!

Only now do I remember about this little lad. And wish I thought of something else to keep DS occupied!

Last year, DS loved handing out the cards and the kids were excited to get them. After they all ran off, one of the Mums said “Sorry - we don’t celebrate Christmas” and handed her son’s card back to me (very politely and privately).

I think I said “Oh sorry!” or something inane, and tucked the card into my handbag. It was slightly awkward but all very polite, I soon forgot all about it.

Anyway - a year later, I’ve used it as a teaching moment and explained to my son about different religions and customs.

(my Mum did the same for me, I’d chosen the “Hail Mary” and she said matter-of-factly “oh some of the girls are Protestant and they don’t pray to Mary, choose another prayer!”

My son is fine with the religion discussion but says “Billy” “will be sad if I give a card to everyone but not to him!”

If Billy was a confident, bolshie little boy it would be easier. But he seems a very sensitive little soul. He was overjoyed to be invited to my son’s birthday party because he doesn’t tend to get invited to things often.

I once watched a little girl handing out invites and Billy was beaming, waiting for his. And when he didn’t get one his face... just crumpled and his eyes filled with tears. I just wanted to pick him up and give him the biggest cuddle!

TL;DR - how should my son hand out 20 cards without being mean to the one child he can not give one to?

Are there any non-Christmas celebrators who would be comfortable saying what you would want done?

PS. If I’d remembered earlier, I would have got him to make cards for people outside nursery.

PPS. They don’t have book bags.

• my atheist sister even bought the same pack and she is passionately anti-religion to the point she calls it Xmas!*

I'm guessing she doesn't realise that 'X' is a sign for/actually means Christ, and that 'mas' is from 'mass' - i.e. a religious ceremony, then!

what a lot of faff. I have never seen any muslim or jewish friends rejecting a Christmas cards, most people celebrate the season of good will and are respectful of other people belief.

Just give a "happy 2019" card, nothing religious whatsoever about it and problem solved.

anti-religion to the point she calls it Xmas
still laughing about that one

Well as far as I am aware

1. Billy's family are not Jewish or muslim

my neighbours are hindus and they give us Christmas cards, so what's your point?

If she is a JW she should engage if you ask her directly about her beliefs because they are actively encouraged to spread the word. Probably little Billy will tell your son all about it too if he asks because they are actively encouraged to tell all their little friends too (and if it's like when I was a kid take watchtower magazines into school - cos that's what kids want to read lol)

most people celebrate the season of good will and are respectful of other people belief.

Unless their religion forbids it.

Posted too soon

1. The mother has rejected a card.
2. The family do not celebrate 'the season of goodwill' (whatever that means) and
3. Do not respect the (false) beliefs of others.

So a Happy 2019 card does not even address the problem never mind solve it.

I worked for one small firm where Christmas was a dirty word, Christmas cards (from clients) were not to be put up, no seasonal party/drinks done, and the new secretary who dared to put a small tree on her desk (in her room) was screamed at until she cried.

Some people are a bit intolerant.

Floody - I preferred Awake! Although I did love those artists impressions of the lion lying down with the lamb and 1950s family beloved by the Watchtower.

KeepOnKeepingOnAgainandAgain

if you have people like you decided to be offended by everything, indeed nothing will solve. Getting annoyed by a "happy new year" is a new one I have to say!

It's not even intolerance, it's just stupidity.

Don't give him a card but invite him over to play instead. Obviously don't tell him that's what you're doing lol

Iamsusan - can I respectfully suggest you read the thread?

Keepon That's true Awake! was far more kid friendly. Haha I loved those people with shining happy faces wearing full business suits in a tropical eutopia. Did you 'My book of bible stories'? That had some fabulous cheesy drawings...

IamSusan JWs do not acknowledge New Year as a celebration because they consider it a pagan thing, which at it’s heart it probably is. They will not acknowledge anything that “takes away” from total devotion to Jehovah, and acknowledging other gods, festivities, etc falls into that category.

Awake! had pictures too. I spent hours every week staring at them as a young child during endless, boring meetings.

Never mind My Book of Bible Stories, Questions Young People Ask was a corker. How to talk about sex in the most awkward fashion possible 😂

Floody - I loved the pictures in the 'Truth' book. Do you remember 'Your Youth: Making the Most of It'? Shudder! This was our family bible study book when I was 8. I could keep a therapist in work for decades if I still cared about this shit.

Keepon Man that was lucky.. I just mindlessly thumbed the gold edges of my fabulous burgundy new world translation and read and reread the words to classic songs such as 'We're Jehovah's Witnessess!'

I was so unbelievably lucky cos my Dad wasn't a witness, but they let my mum off as they were married before she joined and he would occasionally rock up to the memorial service to keep the peace. Did mean that he would often pop the tv on during bible study time lol (you can imagine the reaction...)

I loved the texture of the New World and the song book. I even used to eat small bits

My favourite song was 'Eyes on the Prize'. It was quite jaunty.

Take a look at the hidden imagery in the artwork - some of it is a stretch but some of it is terrifying! @keeponkeepingonagain and @floodpuddle

My family set up was the same floody, mum converted when I was about 10 (months after her dad died, talk about preying on the vulnerable) but my dad has never had any truck with it. He’s very anti-religion anyway, partly because when he was a child the vicar at the village church refused to allow his baby brother (who died aged 5 days old) a headstone in the graveyard because he was unbaptised.

The 'Youth' book was great particularly the bit about buttons being an unnecessary adornment.

One highlight of a meeting was the playing of disco music with the message that this was the music of the Devil - they played Boogie Wonderland! I crawled under my seat because it was my favourite song at the time. I still can't hear it now without passing 'ironic' comment to DH that this is 'the music of the Devil'.

Don't even get me started on the Lord of the Dance.

KeepOnKeepingOn I really am so sorry about the horrible experiences you've had with what sounds more like a cult with every post I read

I get the analogies of bacon for muslims and sweet stuff for diabetics, but surely what folk would do then is include halal food for the first and diabetic chocolate (or whatever) for the second - in other words they'd be included, but in an appropriate and sensitive way so as not to cause offence

Maybe I'm coming at this wrong, but it appears that some JWs refuse anything associated with the evil they see everywhere ... and yes, some of "this world" is evil, but there's so much good too

Overall it just seems such a shame to reject so much - even family members if the elders say so, which surely a raises the question of exactly who's being evil