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?

They don't get their Festive Gifts from The Man in the Red Coat

On a serious note, many people are put off stepping into a church for anything they perceive might involve religion. Our church needs to try very hard to get people in through the door (for financial reasons, if not religious) and local people are much more likely to come if it's a Winter or Festive Fayre. These two terms are also more appealing to decent crafters who might book a table at said fayre, when it's got Christmas in the name there's either an assumption the goods should be Christmas related or it's all Christmas tat.

Perhaps the parents who requested the change are Jehovahs witnesses.

We aren’t allowed to do Christmas things at our school. We have one child who is a Jehovah’s Witness. So there is no nativity play anymore, now they do a ‘winter’ play, they do put up a Christmas tree in the classroom, but the decorations have to be ‘winter’ rather than Christmas (snowflake not Father Christmas).

It’s annoying. I’m not even Christian. I’m Jewish! But culturally, I like Christmas, we have a Christmas tree, I’d like my dc to have the experience of doing a nativity play and carolling and Christmas activities. It’s part of childhood. If my religion meant I wasn’t comfortable with my children taking part, I’d keep them home that day or ask for an alternative activity. I wouldn’t want an entire school to be banned from doing something just because I had different beliefs.

Again, I’m Jewish, but I don’t care if my dc is a donkey in the nativity play or colours in Father Christmas during a craft activity. It doesn’t detract from my own belief system.

Oddly, the children do learn about lots of other religions in RE. I don’t know why such an issue is taken with Christmas (there doesn’t seem to be an issue with Easter).

I think I know her. Is it Sandra from number 23 who has it "on good authority" that going to church is about to be made illegal?

Local Catholic primary ban the word “Christmas” until December.

Also, as a Catholic (off to church in a moment) - I am more than happy for the word “Christmas” to be taken off December events … unless there are actually celebrating the birth of Christ. People here seem to be getting annoyed that “Christmas” is being removed from events that are not, in any way, Christian (was does Temu tat being doled out in the school hall have to do with Christianity?)

People saying “we are a Christian Country”.. who have never been to church, or don’t seem to know anything about Christianity, leaves me feeling that my religion is being used, to peddle a myth, which is a scratch away from racism.

…plus Christmas for us lasts until 12th Jan (ish)… by which point most of your trees, decorations etc are packed away (because you aren’t celebrating the religious festival)

This tired old bilge comes up every year and still the world keeps turning.

If you're that concerned take your kids to church. They can fill their boots with Christmassy stuff there and have the variety of doing it other ways at school.

Honestly, the more the human race leans the more stupid it gets.

You're also still claiming the word Christmas is banned when you don't know this for certain

It is much easier to take to MN, and start a goady post instead. Another one of those things that never happened.

I went to school with lots of Jehovah's Witnesses who weren't allowed to do any 'Christmas' activities. Changing the name of the Christmas fair to the Winter fair would just mean those kids could join in, that's a good thing and doesn't harm anyone.

I’ve never met anyone who feels excluded by the use of accurate words to describe religious and cultural festivals - Diwali, Christmas or any other. I have seen a school do this before, but given the news this year, with people feeling that local traditions are being marginalised and treated unfavourably compared with international ones, I think this school are on shaky ground. It’s the sort of decision that gets plastered all over the tabloids because it creates unhappiness.

Even if this is true its not that the word "Christmas" has been banned, its just that the PTA have ebeen asked by The Head to ensure any events they put on are inclusive.
The roundabouts are over there OP, get your paintbrush and off you go!

Yes!

@ExtraOnions Hear hear!!!

I find it believable and these things can be verified

Years ago Birmingham City Council adopted the term "Winterval" (Ouch)to replace "Christmas"in case the use of the word Christmas caused offence.

Shit like this makes me so glad my kids left school at the end of the noughties. And that I live in an area that celebrates Christmas, and where the council doesn't whine and moan at people having the audacity to want to celebrate Christmas in a CHRISTIAN COUNTRY. Along with trying to BAN the word Christmas. Happy Holiday signs can get in the bin. It's CHRISTMAS!!!

I would have lost my shit if my DC's school had done this, and would have considered taking them out of the school. Yes, I really would!

I think you sould name and shame the school as you said you would @Fayethefair

Would anyone in a country that is largely Muslim or Sikh for example, ban those words in their schools? (Or the words of their celebrations?!) NO, they wouldn't. It's a disgrace! And once again, Christians are the ones to suffer. No-one ever fucks over any other religion. It's always Christians (and Christianity) who get shit on in the UK. It honestly makes me sick to my stomach. 😠

Our school calls it variations of "winter holiday " at my suggestion, and there have been no issues. Happy holidays AIBU!

When my DC were at school we did have an actual request from a parent to rename anything Christmas to something else as her husband was, in her words, a very devout Muslim and wouldn’t allow his child to take part if anything Christmas was mentioned, and wouldn’t allow 😢 her to be part of the PTA if we were going to be organising any Christmas events.

She was emphatically told no. But it’s naive to think that these requests don’t happen, and that when they do, there will be institutions who will agree to them.

And the more reports we see on this, the more emboldened people feel to make the request/demand because they know there’s a chance they’ll get what they want.

And it only takes one even if the rest think the demand is a load of bollocks.

It is her. And Dave from number 17 has it on good authority that this year the town council is only putting up Winterval lights.

Don’t be daft. Most people who celebrate Christmas don’t celebrate it for religious reasons. It’s still Christmas with Christmas traditions.

And of course the bird feeders are there to be Christmas presents. Not winter presents.

Why are you offended at the word CHRISTMAS?

The mother in my dd's school who was on the rampage about Christmas jumper day was a practising Christian. She was trying to rile up some Muslim parents (who didn't care) and went to the Head teacher saying Muslims might be offended. The letter had quite clearly stated jumper could just be their favourite or novelty one, did not have to be Xmas related. It turned out the mum wanted it banned as she had 4 DC and didn't want to buy 4 new jumpers, but didn't want them to feel left out by not having a Xmas jumper, so she tried to get it banned instead 🙄

Using the word Christmas isn't banned, they've just opted for other words for the events, which do sound more festive than Christmassy anyways.

The thing is there is more than one religious holiday around Christmas with the same celebrations, so unless it's a Christian mass or something then using Festive makes more sense.

The use of terms like Winterval by councils are generally marketing decisions. They’re designed to get more people to spend more money. Welcome to capitalism.

It's non INCLUSIVE! (Shouting as you are shouting)

Of course they don't sound more festive than Christmas!