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?

Festive fair sounds lovely!
Doesn't sound like anyone is cancelling Christmas... You'll be alright.

It's only incorrect if you literally class 54% as most! I don't! It's just over half. When I use 54% of something I don't say I have used most of it. Irregardless of the dictionary or technical definition of most, there is a large percentage of the population who are Christian. There is a slightly larger percentage who are something else!

Ergo... Most people are something else.

It's only incorrect if you literally class 54% as most! I don't!

That's like saying "it's only incorrect if you care about what words mean! I don't!".

If we're working like that, I don't class Christmas as Christian, so it's no longer Christian.

Well, I class 46.6% as a significant proportion of people.

Ok, good for you. That doesn't change anything, nor does it negate the fact that most people are not Christian.

Nor does it change the fact that more people are Christian than have no religion or belong to any other religion!

You're getting needlessly defensive.

At no point have I or anyone else on this thread suggested otherwise.

We've just pointed out that it's accurate to say that most people in the UK are not Christian.

Well, Christmas is non-Europaean in its origin! Bethlehem wasn't in Europe last time I looked.

But yes, Christmas is part of our tradition. Which is exactly why we get time off for Christmas, and not for Hannukah or Eid or Diwali. If someone was trying to cancel Christmas vacation, that would be a reason for complaining; but who really cares what someone calls a winter fair?

The only person who ever actually tried to ban Christmas in England was Oliver Cromwell.

Do they?

i like that

might call it ‘relaxed christmas’ day 🧐

We celebrate Sinterklaas - Christmas Day is a secondary event

Funny that 84% voted that you are not being unreasonable. You'd think from the comments it would be the other way round. The silent majority again.

The silent majority fuming about something that didn't happen

Yes the silent majority who read nothing more than the title...

The silent majority won’t be silent for much longer is my sense.

So the silent majority are going to speak up about Christmas NOT being banned?

"When I use 54% of something I don't say I have used most of it."

Staggeringly thick and proud

I know, daft statement. Obviously you don't have to 'be' something to define it. I'm not a Whovian but I could give you a definition of them and their beliefs (if I really thought about it).

That poster doesn't have the right to tell another poster they don't have the right to define people from other faiths! 🤯

Also I would question how/why people are identifying as Christian, I imagine a lot of people just ticked that box.
DH said he was a Christian once, I asked why as we don't go to church or worship or even believe in any God and he said that it was because his Mum had him Christened - I imagine many of that less than 50% answered for the same reasons

Even if people aren’t practicing Christians, they probably still like the Christian ethos of the country and traditions

I think the silent majority know that they will just be gaslighted.
At the end of the day, the reason a fair is taking place at the school is in anticipation of the culturally Christian celebration of Christmas. Yes, the vast majority may not step inside a church, but they “do” Christmas.
All my Hindu and Muslim friends also use the word “Christmas” for the festivities which occur in its honour in December!

@Hoppinggreen

Also I would question how/why people are identifying as Christian, I imagine a lot of people just ticked that box.

Exactly. I think it can mean "not Jewish/Hindu/Muslim/etc" when filling forms. I know plenty who use Christian to mean their general background rather than their actual beliefs.

And the festivities will still be called Christmas. I would be incredibly surprised if there isn’t a Christmas Lunch at the school, and/or a Christmas Jumper Day. It’s just one event…and one that was traditionally called a Winter Fair anyway (or similar). Look at the Victorian era, when our current Christmas traditions really started.

But if "doing Christmas" mostly involves things that are in no way linked to Christianity then how are people demonstating that they are Christians by celebrating in that way?
Having a tree, visiting Santa, exchanging presents - none of those are Christian activities

@italianlondongirl

I think the silent majority know that they will just be gaslighted.

Except it didn't happen

The primary focus of a school fair (summer or winter) is to raise funds. Secondly is to provide a bit of fun. Bottle raffle, pin the tail on the reindeer, someone dressed up as Santa etc. Costco gets hammered for prizes. 50p for a cup of tea.

In my experience they need (at least) one largish event per term.
You organise it around the calendar - easier to promote & provides a theme.
And you do your best to encourage as many people as possible to splash the cash.

Nothing has been banned. The same games will be played, the same selection boxes consumed. Same as last year and the years before that.