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mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

With many schools banning Nativity plays, are traditional Christmas traditions and festivals being downgraded?

With Christmas fast approaching, four out of five schools no longer host a nativity play.

A Sunday Telegraph survey has revealed that head teachers are watering down or ditching the centuries-old Christmas story in favour of secular tales to avoid upsetting pupils of other faiths.

Many schools say they will be either put on a non-religious play, such as Scrooge or Snow White, or give no performance at all.

Meanwhile, Tory MP Mark Pritchard has called for a fight against those who downgrade Christian traditions and festivals and warned of rising "Christiano phobia".

He told MPs Britain's Christian heritage is at risk of being hijacked by extremists like the British National Party because it is being marginalized by officialdom.

He said the misplaced fears of the "politically correct brigade" about offending Muslims and other religions were fueling "rising Christiano phobia" in public life.

GMTV Website

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

But there's no noticeable call from those of other faiths for Christian school celebrations to be banned--quite the reverse, in fact.

I feel that it's more a case of atheist/secularist influences manipulating the situation.

Ian.

Ian Robinson · Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 2:46 pm Post subject:

Warning: Sweeping Generalisations ahead! Wink

I don't think it's atheists. It's people-in-charge pandering to a non-existent political correctness, fuelled by the prejudices of the newspapers they read *cough*Daily Mail*cough* so that instead of actually celebrating their own faith they become terrified of offending others. Everyone's allowed to mark Christmas how they want and I'm sure Muslim and Hindu kids will enjoy Nativity plays just as much as the Christian kids.

It's not "political-correctness gone mad" because most people, of most faiths, in the UK aren't bothered. It's just those in charge being feeble.

Cherskiy · Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 9:54 pm Post subject:

Barkingbiker · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 2313 Location: Lincolnshire

It's strange how we tend to pander to PC, most other religions recognise and accept the relevance and importance of Christmas to Christians. Whilst working in the Middle East I found that Saudi Arabia are particularly anti-Christian, however, in the multi-cultural/religious Scout Group we had it was extremely refreshing that the non-Christian children and parents celebrated Christmas as enthusiastically as us Christians. In fact when we had a Christmas camp, on the beach for our Cub Pack, it was an Iranian Muslim, (he called himself Persian), who volunteered to be Santa as he had a Father Christmas outfit. All the Cubs joined in a Nativity play, supported by their parents, even though this was strictly illegal in Saudi Arabia. I believe that our Christian festivals, particularly Christmas, are being hi-jacked by the PC brigade and commercialism.

BB Twisted Evil

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Heloise · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 237

I work with under fives and have done so for nearly 20 years. We always celebrate Christmas to the full. Made cards, a calendar, a decoration generally drown in glitter and sparkly bits for weeks, making various craft activities. Have a party (with santa), play Christmas music, have a simplified Christmas story (most are only 2-3 years old) at story time and generally go town.

Up until two years ago we always did a nativity for the parents but changed to a carol/sing song instead. This is mainly due to the childrens age range dropping over the last few years (because of the change in school intake procedure which is a whole different story). We have also celebrate Diwalii, Eid, Chinese New Year, Rememberance day, Thanksgiving and Easter this year.

Apparently at our local children's centre they have been allowed to put up a tree but they have been told not to make a big fuss about it because of offending other cultures. I can't help wondering if they asked the parents involved. In my experience most parents are very happy for their children to be involved in our celebrations and those who do have an issue on the grounds of religious differences just withdraw there child from the activity (I've only seen this once myself). If a group of 3 year olds can't celebrate and have fun at Christmas I don't know who can.
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