Our school has banned the word Christmas?

[Fayethefair]

I’ve heard from a friend on my DD’s school’s ptfa that our Cambridgeshire school has banned the word Christmas to make the school events feel more inclusive. So now it’s Festive Party, Festive Fayre etc. I’m happy to let mumsnet know the name of the school if they don’t feel this post is genuine so they can check this themselves but I won’t put names on here as this is my child’s school, I just don’t think this right and want to see what others think.

My daughter attended a Diwali lunch put on by the school recently and I genuinely thought this was lovely. I feel everything should be represented equally, I don’t understand or agree that the head should be picking and choosing what’s allowed and what isn’t. Surely this isn’t right?

Did that friend hear it from her next door neighbour's dog?

I would be very interested to know which school. I find it very hard to believe.

I could believe that they're using the word festive to cover all bases but banning the word Christmas? 🤔

Hmmmmmmm

We used to ban any mention of Christmas until Dec 1 as the kids got excited too early and we had tons planned but needed them to get through the curriculum before we unleashed the glitter and chaos of the Nativity etc.

That doesn’t sound like they’ve banned the word Christmas, it just sounds like they’ve decided to adopt more generic names for their winter events. Who’s it going to hurt? The baby Jesus?

So what did the headteacher say when you had a constructive discussion with them about it? Or was your first response to post it on here to further some kind of agenda? And as pp said there's a difference between using the word festive for events and banning the word Christmas.

Make an absolute point of using Christmas as often as possible.

So they haven't banned the word Christmas they've just renamed the events to cover a broader theme of the festive season.

Ask the school?

But then she can’t post on here to stir up outrage and create division!

I’ve heard from a friend

Rather than spreading unconfirmed rumours on the internet about this, why don't you go and speak to the school and find out some actual facts?

What absolute rubbish. Reminds me of the time my friend said the word Easter had been banned as we were stood next to rows of Easter eggs.

Our pta changes the name of after school fundraising events to "winter craft fair" but the classrooms still learned about christmas and did christmas events too. It really isnt an issue. Its nice that parents who wouldn't bring their child to an after school event if it was about christmas are happy to partake in making bird feeders and snow globes. Far more inclusive in my book.

Perhaps speak to the Head and get a clear understanding before rushing to social media?

But then OP will find out this is absolute nonsense so they can’t have a baseless moan about it.

I say bring back Winterval. A massive, long winter celebration that everyone can get involved in 😁

Here we go….

This had given me an REO Speedwagon earworm

I heard it from a friend who,
Heard it from a friend who,
Heard that you've been messing around

So now you can all have the earworm with me

So the whole point of AIBU is to ask for others thoughts. It always amazes me when people come on here to say ask somewhere else. Why on earth are you wasting time on an AIBU thread to tell people to ask elsewhere?

Apparently a couple of parents complained that using the word Christmas for events wasn’t inclusive enough so the head has told the ptfa they aren’t allowed to use the word Christmas now. If someone would have suggested this 20 years ago the school would’ve thought you’d gone mad.

@CambridgeLightBlue no it was a very close friend who has no reason to lie and the school event posts verify this. No sign of the word Christmas. No it’s not hurting anyone but as a matter of principle it’s unfair to do this having openly celebrated other religious festivals by name.

It's not been banned has it? They are just not using the word for their winter event.

Friends in the US are having a works holiday party rather than a Christmas one to make it more inclusive. Doesn’t sound an issue to me.

Oh you've heard from a friend? Who heard it from the ptfa? And now you're sharing this third hand on here?

Must be true then 🙄

If the word Christmas is banned at that school and not once uttered throughout December in that school I will come and sing Festive Carols in the buff

Was it on Facebook?

My children’s school called their Christmas bazaar thing a ‘Winter Warmer’. It didn’t ban the word ‘Christmas’ and I doubt very much the school in the OP has either.

No they haven't..and let me guess, your "friend" heard it from her hairdresser's best mate's 2nd cousin's BiL who heard it from his mate Dave down the local 'Spoons who shouts at hotels.