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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Religious celebrations at nursery

128 replies

Pelomum · 07/04/2022 15:58

I picked up my DC from nursery this week and as soon as I walked in noticed a prominent Ramadan display with pictures of a Quran, food etc. Ramadan falls around the same time as Lent/Easter and Passover but there was nothing for these religious holidays. The nursery is part of a big university as a place for staff to send their children but this particular branch has more local families attending. My husband and I were raised RC and my DC is baptised but we feel that religion is a personal preference and institutions should either celebrate ALL religions or none - should I speak to someone about it?

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 07/04/2022 17:08

OP in December did you 'have a word' that they were celebrating Christmas but hadn't done anything for Hanukkah?

Headabovetheparakeet · 07/04/2022 17:37

They probably are celebrating all of them. If Easter comes and goes with no mention then sure, question it, but I'm sure that won't happen.

My son's nursery celebrate holidays from all major religions. There's nothing wrong with being aware of other faiths.

Maybe if everyone had been educated this way we wouldn't have posters saying that Christmas is more important to Christians than Easter. Confused

surreygirl1987 · 07/04/2022 17:42

You are being ao unreasonable. I'm sure they celebrate a variety, just not every single one all the time!!

newusername2009 · 07/04/2022 17:43

@AprilMae

Ramadan is a bigger deal than Easter though, akin to Christmas
You do realise that Easter is the biggest Christian celebration don't you! I guess you mean Ramadan is akin to Easter so no doubt they are trying to teach the children about both.
Kanaloa · 07/04/2022 17:49

@Headabovetheparakeet

They probably are celebrating all of them. If Easter comes and goes with no mention then sure, question it, but I'm sure that won't happen.

My son's nursery celebrate holidays from all major religions. There's nothing wrong with being aware of other faiths.

Maybe if everyone had been educated this way we wouldn't have posters saying that Christmas is more important to Christians than Easter. Confused

I don’t think Christmas is more important to proper Christians than Easter is but in terms of how it’s culturally celebrated Christmas is more relevant.

So you have time off work and school, generally nativity plays which everyone is involved with, big work Christmas parties. Whereas the grand majority of people celebrate Easter with an Easter egg. It’s a bit daft to act like it’s ridiculous to say Christmas is observed in a bigger way than Easter is.

EmergencyHydrangea · 07/04/2022 17:50

Erm, no. There is no bigger deal in the Christian calender than Easter.

EmergencyHydrangea · 07/04/2022 17:51

Darn, that was a response to the poster suggesting that Christmas was a bigger deal to Christians than Easter

iklboo · 07/04/2022 17:55

Slow news day at The Daily Heil?

Kanaloa · 07/04/2022 17:57

@EmergencyHydrangea

Darn, that was a response to the poster suggesting that Christmas was a bigger deal to Christians than Easter
But the poster didn’t actually say that. She said ‘Christmas is a bigger deal than Easter.’

She didn’t say anything about Christians. And in our culture (in Britain) Christmas is certainly far bigger in terms of how it’s observed than Easter. It’s simply foolish to say otherwise.

Maybe for devout Christians Easter is more important, but for almost everyone else, Christmas is a much bigger deal.

Kanaloa · 07/04/2022 17:59

@AprilMae

Ramadan is a bigger deal than Easter though, akin to Christmas
Here’s the post. Absolutely no mention of how it’s celebrated in the church or the religious importance of it.

Almost all of us celebrate Christmas in a bigger way than Easter. We spend more, have time off work - lots of time at my uni - give gifts to one another, generally there will be Christmas parties and nights out, Christmas bonuses if you’re lucky, nativity plays at every preschool and school, Santa visits, Christmas films, etc etc.

Easter, for almost all of us - you get an egg. Maybe make Easter baskets at primary.

lemongreentea · 07/04/2022 18:01

I don’t think of Eid had gone unnoticed op would have been quick to jump on here saying ‘my child’s nursery did a Christmas play but no Eid party and no Holi celebration.’ AIBU to think all religions should be marked or none at all?

Exactly this.

kittensinthekitchen · 07/04/2022 18:30

Oh behave.

Sceptre86 · 07/04/2022 18:31

Honestly yabu. Ramadan is happening right now, easter hasn't started yet. It clearly doesn't bother you when the school does Easter or Christmas celebrations so why is Ramadan such an issue? They open kids up to the idea that there are different faiths in the hope they get to know other kids celebrate different festivals. Shame you didn't attend any similar lessons!

Original poster
Pelomum · 07/04/2022 19:14

The nursery shuts today until the 20th and no they are not doing anything for Lent or Easter (I asked and yes I know when Easter is - to the posters who have assumed I do not). Christmas is celebrated by most people in this country irrespective of religion. Putting up a Christmas tree and decorating it has nothing to do with the birth of Christ - there was no Christmas tree in the middle of Israel 2000 years ago. Ramadan and Lent are both periods of abstinence and prayer and are therefore very similar. With re to being unable to celebrate all religions - nowhere in the paperwork were we asked about DCs religion nor has anyone ever asked us if we celebrate Christmas etc. So if indeed there are Jewish children in nursery, I highly doubt anyone would know. There are Hindu children and yet there was nothing for Diwali or Holi.

OP posts:
lemongreentea · 07/04/2022 19:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

flower277 · 07/04/2022 19:16

Wow. 🙄

RaginaPhalange · 07/04/2022 19:18

Ramadan has already started, eater however has not Confused

RaginaPhalange · 07/04/2022 19:18

Easter*

BarnDance · 07/04/2022 19:25

should I speak to someone about it?

What would you say?

Pumpfive · 07/04/2022 19:29

No, you don't say anything gavotte it. Nurseries are busy and can't do everything. Also just because there's no craft, what makes you think they didn't discuss Easter?

HELLITHURT · 07/04/2022 19:30

@Pelomum

The nursery shuts today until the 20th and no they are not doing anything for Lent or Easter (I asked and yes I know when Easter is - to the posters who have assumed I do not). Christmas is celebrated by most people in this country irrespective of religion. Putting up a Christmas tree and decorating it has nothing to do with the birth of Christ - there was no Christmas tree in the middle of Israel 2000 years ago. Ramadan and Lent are both periods of abstinence and prayer and are therefore very similar. With re to being unable to celebrate all religions - nowhere in the paperwork were we asked about DCs religion nor has anyone ever asked us if we celebrate Christmas etc. So if indeed there are Jewish children in nursery, I highly doubt anyone would know. There are Hindu children and yet there was nothing for Diwali or Holi.
Move your child the nursery will thank you for it.
NeverDropYourMooncup · 07/04/2022 19:53

@Pelomum

The nursery shuts today until the 20th and no they are not doing anything for Lent or Easter (I asked and yes I know when Easter is - to the posters who have assumed I do not). Christmas is celebrated by most people in this country irrespective of religion. Putting up a Christmas tree and decorating it has nothing to do with the birth of Christ - there was no Christmas tree in the middle of Israel 2000 years ago. Ramadan and Lent are both periods of abstinence and prayer and are therefore very similar. With re to being unable to celebrate all religions - nowhere in the paperwork were we asked about DCs religion nor has anyone ever asked us if we celebrate Christmas etc. So if indeed there are Jewish children in nursery, I highly doubt anyone would know. There are Hindu children and yet there was nothing for Diwali or Holi.
Well, they would, because it'll be essential to ensure that Jewish dietary requirements are followed, just as they will be for Muslim, Hindu, vegetarian, vegan and allergic kids.
Kanaloa · 07/04/2022 20:11

Christmas is celebrated by most people in this country irrespective of religion. Putting up a Christmas tree and decorating it has nothing to do with the birth of Christ - there was no Christmas tree in the middle of Israel 2000 years ago.

Okayyy? So what do you want them to do, recreate December in Israel thousands of years ago for the authentic Christian experience? Perhaps one child could be mock crucified by the others dressed as Romans?

The cultural trappings of festival celebrations are as important to child development as the historical religious details. If you want to sit a group of toddlers down and watch passion of the Christ go ahead but you’ll struggle to find a nursery where Christmas isn’t trees and present bags and Father Christmas along with a few songs and possibly a nativity play.

And if you’re very worried about Diwali and holi contact the nursery and ask why they didn’t celebrate them. Maybe they can cancel Christmas to do a project learning about Hindu festivals to appease you.

As for the nursery being shut during Easter isn’t that specifically for the Easter holidays? So they’re specifically prioritising culturally Christian events by scheduling their term around them.

LoveSpringDaffs · 07/04/2022 20:17

@Innocenta

We celebrated Eid when I was at nursery back in the early 90s. This is really not a big deal; let it go.
You were in nursery in the '90's??

I feel SO old 😩

iklboo · 07/04/2022 20:17

Christmas is celebrated by most people in this country irrespective of religion. Putting up a Christmas tree and decorating it has nothing to do with the birth of Christ - there was no Christmas tree in the middle of Israel 2000 years ago.

No, because Christianity stole the tree decorating, lights & feasting idea from the pagans who celebrated the winter solstice etc, Saturnalia etc. They also stole Easter - it's a festival of the goddess Oestre & spring reawakening.