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?

Agreed. I’d be a bit suprised if my church called the carol concert a ‘winter singing event’ or the like, but a fayre, market etc can be ‘festive’ or ‘winter’ etc. That said I have no issue with a non religious school having a ‘winter singing’ performance, with a selection of Christmas songs (I mean plenty of the aren’t religious!) mixed in with carols and possibly songs from other religions/counties/
festivals… I think the festivities bring communities together, if it can make people feel welcome I don’t think its a problem.

Do you genuinely think that people who celebrate the true, Christian aspects of Christmas are the majority in the country? I certainly don’t. In 2021, only 46.2% of the country identified as Christian. So actually, Christians might be the largest religious group but they’re still a minority of the population.

And even then that figure will include a load of people who are Christian in name only and never set foot in a church outside a carol service. And even that might be pushing it- my mum insists she’s CofE and not once in my life have I known her attend a church even at Christmas.

To all those saying “it’s the festive season” -
it bloody well is not, it’s CHRISTMAS!! They don’t rename Ramadan or Hunukkah so why try and rename CHRISTMAS! It’s Christs Mass, respect the Christian religion and British culture

No, I don't respect any made up religion, especially not when you think you can tell me too.

Are the events in other religions also given nice inclusive names or is this type of thing just for Christian events?

And even then that figure will include a load of people who are Christian in name only

Oh, please tell me that "chino" is a thing. Please, please please.

You're far too sensible for this site!

They literally say Happy Holidays in the US because of the sizeable Jewish population also commemorating events in December. Many of the major store retailers are of Jewish descent. No one hand wrings.

Thoughts and prayers.

Are you recovering now?

Nobody's trying to rename Christmas chill your beans

To, not too, that's the 2nd time today my tablet has autocorrected my spelling wrongly. I can spell, honestly.

Respect Santa and his elves!

If only there had been Mumsnet all those centuries ago, I wonder if there would have been posts saying "why try and rename YULE! It's the winter solstice, respect the Pagan religion and British culture".

If you are an observant Christian you will know that Christmas starts on the eve of the 24 December and finishes on 12th night as we start the feast of the Epiphany.

This is precisely why in the era of mass church attendance and mandatory religion the merchandising junkets and other parties were Winter parties and fairs or Frost fair parties etc and rarely “Christmas” parties and sales pitches.

Happy to help you in your endeavour to live a more Christian calendar.

Well said

this is why it is daft

Except it's not Christmas is it, it's Thanksgiving, Advent, St Nicholas' Day, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Yule, the Winter Solstice, Epiphany, Hanukkah, Candlemas and I'm sure there are others I've missed.

"Festive season" seems appropriate in the circumstances.

It's a long process 🙏

Haha, I tried to edit my post to say this must be a joke and it wouldn't let me.

I had this exact same surreal conversation with a colleague about the easter bunny, specifically chocolate bunnies, which she'd "heard" shops weren't allowed to call Easter bunnies any more because of not being "allowed" to use the word "Easter" - conversation had whilst standing by a display of various easter confections literally headed "Happy Easter!" 🧐

The works holiday party, particularly in the US, will also include Hannukah and Kwanzaa. Or are only Christians allowed to celebrate at the end of December?

The good thing about Winterval was that there was plenty of Christmas in it!

Why do so many of the frothers feel the need to use Donald Trump style capitalisation? We get it that you're spitting even without it. It always makes me think of people sitting at home, smashing away at their laptops while smoke billows out their ears at the thought of those of us who enjoy 'the festive season.'

I mean, we have an annual 'Christmas party' at our house which is generally about 50 people being merry, having cocktails, food and conversation, but in truth, it has nothing at all to do with Christmas, other than being seasonal. Does every seasonal thing you do relate back to actual Christianity/the church/the nativity?

It's been called "The festive season" for years...Charles Dickens even wrote in "A Christmas Carol" ...."At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge," said the gentleman, taking up a pen, "it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute..."

Why do so many of the frothers feel the need to use Donald Trump style capitalisation?

Surely you remember how you FIRST LEARNED TO WRITE ?

lower case was very much for the brighter kids.

Exactly. I'm guessing it's this. I don't have a problem with a fair being festive.