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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Who are people who find Christmas offensive

544 replies

Blopi · 22/11/2025 06:43

It really boils my piss when organisations curtail Christmas stuff as it may offend people.

Who are these people who find Christmas offensive? In my life I have worked and met people from various religions, cultures and countries. NOT one found Christmas and things that go with it. I didn’t work with Jehovah Witnesses but they don’t get offended. Most said they decorated their homes, wore Xmas jumpers and ate food which was suitable or tailored to their religion. Those who didn’t decorate their homes love seeing trees lit up.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 22/11/2025 14:41

I'm actually rolling my eyes to the back of my head, at the pure denial of councils and the like, stopping people using the word Christmas, and schools not allowing nativity plays. Why are some posters trying to gaslight people into believing it has never happened?

Calling people racist for spreading this 'MYTH.' It's not a myth actually, as it does happen/has happened, plenty of times, especially over the past 2 decades... How the fuck is anyone racist for saying they don't want Christmas diminished, and the word replaced by something else? Confused The people saying this must have needed a 700 foot high stepladder to reach that far!

I've got better things to do than search through Google to PROVE what is clearly bloody true, but seeing as the people denying what the OP says sometimes happens is a lie.... Well, I'm not prepared to let that go without a fight.

Some stories are older, some are newer. but it has absolutely happened in previous years, and still happens now. People/organisations/councils/Universities and so on trying to change Christmas to ... well any fucking thing except CHRISTMAS! And Nativity plays to anything but Nativity plays!

Stop trying to deny it happens. (And has been happening on and off for a couple of decades!) I'm cringing at the denial, from some posters! I wouldn't normally waste my time looking for 'proof' but I'm not having people trying to con me, and the OP, and many others on here into believing what the OP is talking about is a lie, and it has NEVER happened.

The Nativity play being cancelled (and something random being put in its place) happened 20-25 years ago when my kids and nieces and nephews were at school, and it's happened at a number at schools over the past 20 years too. I have heard other people with children younger than mine talking about it!

CBA to post on this thread anymore, as the denial on here (of something that has happened for years!) is utterly batshit. Mumsnet is a parallel universe sometimes. 🙄

So here's a few links, seeing as you CBA to look yourselves... Enjoy. 😎 There are many more articles like this, but I know some of you won't want to look. Probably won't even look at these links actually, as it may prove you are GASP! WRONG!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 🎄

https://www.premierchristianity.com/opinion/in-an-absurd-move-brighton-uni-is-banning-the-word-christmas-it-wont-stop-me-talking-about-jesus/14550.article

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/opinion/leader/1902261.hands-off-nativity-play/

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/nov/02/christmas-political-correctness-oxford-christian

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12823071/Christmas-spirit-cancelled-renamed-markets-council-light-scrapped-woke-offence-pigs-blanket-cards.html

https://www.christian.org.uk/news/no-room-for-christmas-in-council-cards/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4102277.stm

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/14111940.mum-slams-schools-plan-for-nativity-play/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/rebranding-christmas-more-public-bodies-are-refusing-to-give-the-festival-its-name-for-fear-of-causing-offence-9923365.html

MurdoMunro · 22/11/2025 14:43

Lists a load of opinion pieces shouting TRUTH!!!!

🤣

KTheGrey · 22/11/2025 14:44

cardibach · 22/11/2025 14:27

I used to work in a boarding school. We actually had a Lenten Calendar a bit like this, with 40 days of nice deeds to do for others to cross off. It was quite stressful.

Was it Catholic by any chance? I belong to the generation (some of ) whose mums took their best Crimble present for a Less Fortunate Child which seems quite unkind. Yes, stressful.

cardibach · 22/11/2025 14:47

KTheGrey · 22/11/2025 14:44

Was it Catholic by any chance? I belong to the generation (some of ) whose mums took their best Crimble present for a Less Fortunate Child which seems quite unkind. Yes, stressful.

No - definitely Protestant with weekly school chapel but little else overtly church related. Sport was the real religion as far as I could see.

Notonthestairs · 22/11/2025 14:52

Weird that Brighton University banned the word Christmas given it was all over their website!
https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/studentnewsandevents/2023/11/28/opening-hours-over-the-christmas-break-2023-24/

As we approach the festive break, I would like to wish all those who celebrate a very merry Christmas, and a peaceful and relaxing holiday for all.
(Message from Vice Chancellor)

Opening hours over the Christmas break 2023/24

The University will this year close from Thursday 21 December 2023 to Monday 1 January 2024 inclusive. In addition, some buildings will shut down for a longer period. 

https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/studentnewsandevents/2023/11/28/opening-hours-over-the-christmas-break-2023-24/

KTheGrey · 22/11/2025 14:53

cardibach · 22/11/2025 14:47

No - definitely Protestant with weekly school chapel but little else overtly church related. Sport was the real religion as far as I could see.

Bizarre - so minimal religion until Lenten Six Weeks of Suffering? Seems most unfair. We do now have the mental healthiness calendars at work which would seem sweet but obviously do little to combat increased stress or reduce bullying behaviours, so imo a tad bit suspect.

cardibach · 22/11/2025 14:56

KTheGrey · 22/11/2025 14:53

Bizarre - so minimal religion until Lenten Six Weeks of Suffering? Seems most unfair. We do now have the mental healthiness calendars at work which would seem sweet but obviously do little to combat increased stress or reduce bullying behaviours, so imo a tad bit suspect.

It wasn’t too much suffering to be honest, and the school meals didn’t change to reflect Lent rules. Just one of the quirks of the place. No compulsion to do it though most had a bash - possibly due to the general ethos of all doing the traditional thing. Lots of bonkers traditions abounded!

phantomofthepopera · 22/11/2025 14:59

dogsandbudgey · 22/11/2025 12:57

I think our government think an idea up then try to run with it to cause mayhem. Although I do hear of a local school not making Christmas biscuit this year in H.E they made winter biscuit instead lol as to not offend any religions. Sometimes I wonder if we all try to pussyfoot around everyone else too much. Christmas should be celebrated freely to whomever wishes to celebrate it, in what every way they chooose. Those that may get offended should just think of it as a celebration they don’t participate in and move on rather than cause a racket. Plenty of things could ‘0ffened’ me but the world doesn’t revolve around me so I let people have their moments and I get on with my own life.

It’s got absolutely nothing to do with “offence”. It’s just to include as many people as possible.

All retailers are interested in is making money. By labelling something ’Christmas’ they could be ruling out a big chunk of potential customers, so they’ll look for something that keeps everyone happy.

Almost every one of Tesco’s trees are called Christmas trees. I can imagine they decided to call just one an ‘evergreen tree’ because what about people that might need an artificial tree who wouldn’t want to buy a ‘Christmas’ tree?

It’s wildly ironic that it’s only the morons who are wrongly claiming that people are “offended” who are actually the ones offended by something having a different name.

FellowSuffereroftheAbsurd · 22/11/2025 15:06

If public bodies and government departments are meant to be worried about offending people about Christmas, where I work missed that memo. I work for a public body with coworkers who have had Christmas trees on their desks since September, where there is a specific Christmas committee that's been meeting since September, and so far I have dates for 4 separate Christmas nights out plus several office Christmas events and multiple email a week specifically about Christmas wellbeing - the last one at least acknowledge some find it a difficult time of year.

There are many many examples of companies / councils avoiding the word Christmas in favour of "festive season" or similar for years. No doubt this was done to be inclusive.

The earliest uses of festive in English back in the 1600s were largely in reference to Christmas. The Oxford Dictionary I have has the definition for festive as "relating to a festival, especially Christmas."

Presuming festive, winter, or the like can only be used to avoid the word Christmas or to be more inclusive is rage bait and a lack of imagination. There are plenty of other reasons, including simply wanting to use more than just the word Christmas. Where I work specifically used the term 'Festive Decor' and keep talking about helping people get into the 'festive spirit', not out of avoiding Christmas, but because they like the sound of it. It can really be that simple.

Those that may get offended should just think of it as a celebration they don’t participate in and move on rather than cause a racket.

And do you have an example of us making any racket, cause the many on this thread have already said that's what we already try to do.

I haven't celebrated Christmas since I was a teenager. I largely keep a mindset that 'if it makes people happy' and get on with ignoring it. I'm not offended by it. If anything, I find people more offended and making quite a racket made at me for not celebrating - over the years, on top of this annual blaming us and apparently the government for not using the word Christmas enough and ruining the open celebration of Christmas for everyone else, I've been told I shouldn't have been allowed to migrate to the UK because of it, that not celebrating it and not putting up a Christmas tree is child abuse, that charity donors will get upset if families using programmes to help their disabled children are allowed to opt out of getting Christmas gifts even when families state it's because they're financially well off and would prefer those funds went elsewhere, and I've been both snapped at and made the butt of jokes at work for not simply not participating.

I'm actually considering getting noise cancelling headphones for work and asking to use them when working in the open office largely because for over a month now, Christmas has been the main conversation topic and I'm finding it really draining. I would rather leave them to it if it makes them happy, but I need a way to not be part of that.

CatchyShyCat · 22/11/2025 15:16

cardibach · 22/11/2025 14:05

I fit the description in the first sentence pretty well. I’m not ‘offended’ by Christmas and neither do I think anyone else is. It’s a myth that ‘the left’ want to get rid of Christmas (or the labelling of events as Christmas events). When things are called something different there always turns out to be a reason which isn’t to do with ‘offence’ and there are lots of made up examples (like with the Birmingham market upthread).
The only people ‘offended’ seem to be those who are working themselves up about non existent banning/policing of their Christmas and I’m pretty sure none of them fit the first sentence description. They have pretty clear motives for doing it.

There is definitely a certain kind of person who parrots ‘inclusivity’ and takes offence on behalf of others, even when nobody asked them to.

Not exclusive to Christmas. I definitely remember hearing these stupid debates on TV and radio in previous years. In fact, I think we’re overdue for more this year!

cardibach · 22/11/2025 15:19

CatchyShyCat · 22/11/2025 15:16

There is definitely a certain kind of person who parrots ‘inclusivity’ and takes offence on behalf of others, even when nobody asked them to.

Not exclusive to Christmas. I definitely remember hearing these stupid debates on TV and radio in previous years. In fact, I think we’re overdue for more this year!

Any evidence that being pro-inclusivity is about ‘offence’?
Im nit sure what debates you mean, or why you think anyone is ‘parroting’ anything.

CurlewKate · 22/11/2025 15:31

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 22/11/2025 14:41

I'm actually rolling my eyes to the back of my head, at the pure denial of councils and the like, stopping people using the word Christmas, and schools not allowing nativity plays. Why are some posters trying to gaslight people into believing it has never happened?

Calling people racist for spreading this 'MYTH.' It's not a myth actually, as it does happen/has happened, plenty of times, especially over the past 2 decades... How the fuck is anyone racist for saying they don't want Christmas diminished, and the word replaced by something else? Confused The people saying this must have needed a 700 foot high stepladder to reach that far!

I've got better things to do than search through Google to PROVE what is clearly bloody true, but seeing as the people denying what the OP says sometimes happens is a lie.... Well, I'm not prepared to let that go without a fight.

Some stories are older, some are newer. but it has absolutely happened in previous years, and still happens now. People/organisations/councils/Universities and so on trying to change Christmas to ... well any fucking thing except CHRISTMAS! And Nativity plays to anything but Nativity plays!

Stop trying to deny it happens. (And has been happening on and off for a couple of decades!) I'm cringing at the denial, from some posters! I wouldn't normally waste my time looking for 'proof' but I'm not having people trying to con me, and the OP, and many others on here into believing what the OP is talking about is a lie, and it has NEVER happened.

The Nativity play being cancelled (and something random being put in its place) happened 20-25 years ago when my kids and nieces and nephews were at school, and it's happened at a number at schools over the past 20 years too. I have heard other people with children younger than mine talking about it!

CBA to post on this thread anymore, as the denial on here (of something that has happened for years!) is utterly batshit. Mumsnet is a parallel universe sometimes. 🙄

So here's a few links, seeing as you CBA to look yourselves... Enjoy. 😎 There are many more articles like this, but I know some of you won't want to look. Probably won't even look at these links actually, as it may prove you are GASP! WRONG!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 🎄

https://www.premierchristianity.com/opinion/in-an-absurd-move-brighton-uni-is-banning-the-word-christmas-it-wont-stop-me-talking-about-jesus/14550.article

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/opinion/leader/1902261.hands-off-nativity-play/

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/nov/02/christmas-political-correctness-oxford-christian

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12823071/Christmas-spirit-cancelled-renamed-markets-council-light-scrapped-woke-offence-pigs-blanket-cards.html

https://www.christian.org.uk/news/no-room-for-christmas-in-council-cards/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4102277.stm

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/14111940.mum-slams-schools-plan-for-nativity-play/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/rebranding-christmas-more-public-bodies-are-refusing-to-give-the-festival-its-name-for-fear-of-causing-offence-9923365.html

I’m intending to check out your references-but it might be a bit tricky considering that they are all at least 10 years old. I’ll do my best.

CatchyShyCat · 22/11/2025 15:32

You don’t know about people parroting the phrase inclusivity? Where have you been for the last 10 years?

Mothership4two · 22/11/2025 15:36

MurdoMunro · 22/11/2025 14:43

Lists a load of opinion pieces shouting TRUTH!!!!

🤣

Looked through them and none of them stand up and some are very old.

cardibach · 22/11/2025 15:45

CatchyShyCat · 22/11/2025 15:32

You don’t know about people parroting the phrase inclusivity? Where have you been for the last 10 years?

Inclusivity is a word, not a phrase.
I know people have said it. Why is that ‘parroting’?

CatchyShyCat · 22/11/2025 15:45

cardibach · 22/11/2025 15:45

Inclusivity is a word, not a phrase.
I know people have said it. Why is that ‘parroting’?

😒

ilovesooty · 22/11/2025 15:48

Mothership4two · 22/11/2025 15:36

Looked through them and none of them stand up and some are very old.

Unsurprising given the strop and howls about gaslighting.

CurlewKate · 22/11/2025 15:56

CatchyShyCat · 22/11/2025 15:32

You don’t know about people parroting the phrase inclusivity? Where have you been for the last 10 years?

Why is inclusivity a bad thing?

Boomer55 · 22/11/2025 16:00

My neighbouring council (Labour, left wing) have been terrified of the word Xmas for years, in case someone is offended. Any hint of Xmas decor or celebration sends them into a tizzy.

No one has ever found the offended people, but they still carry on. 🙄

Residents just generally ignore them.

CurlewKate · 22/11/2025 16:01

Boomer55 · 22/11/2025 16:00

My neighbouring council (Labour, left wing) have been terrified of the word Xmas for years, in case someone is offended. Any hint of Xmas decor or celebration sends them into a tizzy.

No one has ever found the offended people, but they still carry on. 🙄

Residents just generally ignore them.

Which council is that?

PandoraSocks · 22/11/2025 16:04

CurlewKate · 22/11/2025 16:01

Which council is that?

The London Borough of Too Outing, I expect.

Salvadoridory · 22/11/2025 16:08

We do amazing Christmas in the Middle East. There are proper carols played in the mall rather than crappy holiday pop. Kings choir oh come all ye faithful then i shopped earlier. Nobody really gets offended, and assuming people think its Muslims, tolerance is abundant apart from, i find, some UK Muslims who do seem quite strict.

SerendipityJane · 22/11/2025 16:20

Blopi · 22/11/2025 06:43

It really boils my piss when organisations curtail Christmas stuff as it may offend people.

Who are these people who find Christmas offensive? In my life I have worked and met people from various religions, cultures and countries. NOT one found Christmas and things that go with it. I didn’t work with Jehovah Witnesses but they don’t get offended. Most said they decorated their homes, wore Xmas jumpers and ate food which was suitable or tailored to their religion. Those who didn’t decorate their homes love seeing trees lit up.

To answer your OP, puritans and Jehovahs witnesses.

Purplebunnie · 22/11/2025 16:46

GagMeWithASpoon · 22/11/2025 11:23

I actually want to know more now! Maybe you should do an AMA about it.

Always been their hobby, completed degree, now doing PhD

phantomofthepopera · 22/11/2025 16:57

Boomer55 · 22/11/2025 16:00

My neighbouring council (Labour, left wing) have been terrified of the word Xmas for years, in case someone is offended. Any hint of Xmas decor or celebration sends them into a tizzy.

No one has ever found the offended people, but they still carry on. 🙄

Residents just generally ignore them.

That’s weird, our left-wing Labour council has Christmas decorations everywhere, Christmas markets in town etc. I’d imagine if councils are putting up fewer decorations these days, it’s because they’re bankrupt.

Swipe left for the next trending thread