leepee

I guess it just depends on the school....My son's school has its concert next Thursday - afternoon AND evening performance!! He seems to have learnt a bit about all the religious festival occuring around now. I am not religious and so I don't want a ton of stuff forced on him. I can imagine if you are used to a Nativity play etc it must seem different.....
Have fun in the Uk
Lisa

lancashirebird

Must admit last year the kids was at a different school and they did everything inc dancers etc, partys and special days running upto xmas.
This year we are at the otherside of town and i feel that the school doesnt do enough for the kids before xmas................

But with our canadian friends we went to a garage party with them yesterday, fire pit and fab canadian party games (the other moms had to help me (lol))
Nothing like i had experienced in the uk with fire pit/hot dogs and everyone having a fab time in the garage
But we loved it, may not of been the xmas stuff we are used to in the uk, but all the kids loved the games and so did the adults.
Sometimes changing the way you do things is good
Good luck on your trip back OP

LB

elizabeth_action

Lots of people consider Christmas as a religious holiday, perhaps no-one close to you Alan2005. Having read many of your thread replies (and boy you get in just about everywhere), I would say you could do with some 'churchin' up', to quote from The Blues Brothers.

Butch Cassidy

Raised Anglican, OH is a (lapsed) catholic, both sets of parents attend church regularly. We have new age/budhist leanings.

NONE of our families consider Christmas a religious 'holiday'. At 'best' (the parents) its consider a religious day (strictly speaking its Christmas eve not Christmas day that should be observed) at 'worst' its a traditional holiday that takes place at the end of the Gregorian Year.

I imagine that 99% of the activities and meals you engage you in have either pre-christian or post 1812 origins and have very little to do with the birth of any child that may (or may not) have taken place in or around bethlehem approx 2041 years ago.

Alan2005

That's cos I am an opinionated arse. amen sister!

Quite. We put our xmas tree up yesterday.

elizabeth_action

As I understand it, many Canadians are practicing Christians. They are the people who consider Christmas a religious period (Advent, birth of Jesus and so on). IMO the state education system should encompass the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus (Christ Mass) as they do with Divali, Hanukkah etc. Otherwise it's discrimination isn't it?

The 'holiday' has become a big mish-mash of traditions; card writing (Victorian 1843), gift-giving (Christian & also Greek and Byzantine folklore among others), stockings (the story of Saint Nicholas/Turkish), the tree (16th century Northern Germany), mistletoe (Celtic/pagan), Boxing day (Victorian), decorating the tree (Lutherian), Santa's costume (Thomas Nast). So who does own Christmas in that sense?

Flogger

and Minder on the orient express might be on the telly.

Butch Cassidy

1) Canada was until the 16th/17th centuries a Shamanist country.
2) Advent is distinct from and has NEVER been a part of Christmas. (Hence the 24th being known as Christmas EVE)
3) MANY 'Canadian' Christians are 'deviants' from Western European catholic Churches hence the exchange of gifts can occur anytime from Dec 6th through to Jan 6th
4) You show me a Canadian State school that 'celebrates' Diwalli and Hanukkah and I will give your argument more credence
5) The majority of Christian Scholars (and here I mean ordained academics) accept that what IF there was a messiah born in Bethlehem it was NOT around the 25th December, what you actually celebrate (with modifications) is Saturnalia (OR the winter solistice).

elizabeth_action

Christian Advent is the period of repentance and 'waiting' (fasting and meditation for the early Christians) in the lead up to the day of the celebration of Christ's birth, so strictly speaking it is not part of the Christ Mass. However in its adulterated form it is part of the approach to 'secular' Christmas day in the form of a calendar with little windows .

I don't argue that Jesus was born on 25th December. There is significant evidence that it wasn't that time of year he was born, but in the absence of an exact date the Church had to choose one. What better time than to oust/erode/eclipse a pagan festival?? I am familiar with most of the other European spiritual festivals that take/took place around the end of December which have influenced how we celebrate the whole thing we call Christmas.

I was under the impression from other posters though that, like in the UK, Canadian schools explore and celebrate the festivals of other religions in schools??

leepee

I was under the impression from other posters though that, like in the UK, Canadian schools explore and celebrate the festivals of other religions in schools??[/QUOTE]

I think it really depends on the Province and probably the school....As I said earlier my son's school seems to have talked about some festivals but not in any great detail...He goes to a Public School not a religious school - if he went to a faith based school I would guess he would learn in more detail about religion. His school - and I would assume most of the others in the public system believe that it is the role of the parents to instill whatever faith they want to into their kids ...I would also say that frankly his school is not exactly overflowing with kids from other faiths so I guess religious differences are not as relevant at this point!!

My son is only in First Grade. I have no idea if they get taught about different beliefs as they get older. I for one am happy for him to get an outline - I don't want him to be ignorant BUT as a total non believer I don't want hocus pocus (IMHO) rammed down his throat - that is the job of a faith based school.....

Bali2010

[I don't want hocus pocus (IMHO) rammed down his throat]

He is at Hogwarts?

leepee

Do you think they learn about world religions there???

Bali2010

I would think so, it seems a very broad minded sort of place, barring the anti-muggle undercurrents

Butch Cassidy

Personally I think they are all racists...........................




They keep 'fighting' the 'Black Magicians'

Alan2005

Actually - they don't.