Surestart seem to have misplaced Christmas

[Phanerothyme 12]

. It doesn't mean we have to stop practicing the traditions that we have related to christmas for many years.

And surestart are putting a stop to this how exactly?

[fox20thc 10]

I just had a look at the surestart mag. for dec 05 and they didnt even mention christmas in that one at all!

[LHarman 11]

Im not a christian,dont go along with the whole baby Jesus thing , if others want to, thats wonderful for them.Romans used to celebrate this time of year with Saturnalia, they feasted , drank, exchanged gifts, decorated their homes with evergreens..... very much as we do today.... these winter festivities have evolved through time,even the image of Father Christmas is here with us thanks to Coca Cola!

[Tricky 10]

Most Christians I know put a lot more stock in easter, which is as yet to be so crassly converted into a consumer fest.(although that is not the whole reason for their preference).

 

Any population with a history in temperate zones tend to have a midwinter knees up at around the time when the days begin to get longer again.

 

So did the surestart magazine list any religious festivals? And why are you so disgusted, because you don't really explain.

 

The point is one of communication. Ask any English person of any cultural background what they're doing for Christmas and they'll know exactly what you mean. Ask them what they're doing for a winter celebration and you'll receive some fairly blank looks.

 

So why are they writing things that deliberately obscure their meaning? The obvious answer is that they are conforming to this hideous self-righteous zeal for eradicating any reference to anything that is perceived to exclude non-traditionally English cultures.

[Phanerothyme 12]

The point is one of communication. Ask any English person of any cultural background what they're doing for Christmas and they'll know exactly what you mean. Ask them what they're doing for a winter celebration and you'll receive some fairly blank looks.

 

The OP was in no doubt what they meant. Ever heard of "the festive season"?

[Tricky 10]

The OP was in no doubt what they meant. Ever heard of "the festive season"?

 

Yes, "the festive season" would have been a much more appropriate phrase.

[fox20thc 10]

Oh bugger it, sod christmas, eid, diwali et al. Lets just go the american way

 

Happy Holiday yawl have a good time now wont ya!

[LHarman 11]

Right, thats sorted, Festive Season it is.... right then, goodwill to all men(and women) tidings of great joy,bring on the sprouts!!

[scoop 10]

And surestart are putting a stop to this how exactly?

 

Eh? did you read the opening post?

[Tricky 10]

Right, thats sorted, Festive Season it is.... right then, goodwill to all men(and women) tidings of great joy,bring on the sprouts!!

 

Sprouts??!!

 

Please, I'll call it 'That part of the year which is relatively chilly and when some people choose to wear party hats and some don't.' - just spare me the sprouts.

[Funky_Gibbon 42]

The premise of this thread seems to be that Sure Start is trying to remove the Christians from Christmas. That is frankly rubbish.

 

Sure Start doesn't celebrate any religious festivals as its meant to be inclusive of every part of the community and religious festivals are by definition exclusive.

 

Sure Starts will use those festivals as a means of getting people to come to them, which is why many of those in areas with Muslim populations usually hold some event for the kids. They aren't doing it to celebrate Islam. They are doing it to attract families with under 5s from parts of the local population that tend to be harder for them to reach.

 

I know of at least two Sure Starts in Sheffield who are holding or taking part in Christmas events (and they are called Christmas events... or at least Xmas). They aren't doing it for religious reasons but because those events attract local families to come to them and find out what they can do for them.

[Zebra 10]

Well the area I live in is not predominantly a Muslim area, in fact it's predominantly 'white British'.

The 'Winter Celebrations' is an ill thought through effort to disguise what is actually a Christmas party. It isn't even solstice related since that's not until the 21st (I think). So even though Sure start are always using events to increase their presence in the community they actually posted this to my address, that's only because they have my details because I've attended playgroups in the area.

This one ISN'T a marketing ploy so far as I can make out because it was sent, with a stamp, vie Royal Mail to my house.

Furthermore, all the events are taking place at venues which already host playgroups and 'stay and plays'.

 

For anyone who isn't comprehending why I'm annoyed, it's because it IS a Christmas party basically. One of the events is at a church. What's the problem with Christmas? Why not have a Christmas party? Since 20 years ago anything similar would have distinctly been called a Christmas party I cannot comprehend why it should change. It's only the PC brigade.

The Surestart events start on December the 13th - the beginning of the 12 days of Christmas.

I live in a Christian led society, I live by Christian moral values. I do not celebrate Eid, Diwali or Hannukah and I certainly don't celebrate winter for goodness sake, I celebrate Christmas and since all the other events have passed we certainly aren't celebrating all occasions together.

It doesn't matter if I celebrate it traditionally or if I go to church or if I swing from a chandelier, it's part of my cultural heritage and of the country and we shouldn't lose that because we're so afraid of offending someone of another religion or afraid of being the dominant religion in this country. Christianity is the dominant religion - so what.

IMO someone has mistakenly jumped on the PC bandwagon and thought it was reasonable to call it Winter Celebration in an effort to make themselves look PC, in fact, as a government organisation they are becoming almost discriminatory.

I belive in inclusivity and equality but I also believe in individuality.

Since I don't celebrate winter there's no need for me and my children to go to the farcical events.

I'm not going on about it on here much more, it's becoming tedious explaining again and again.

P.S. It seems I'll be on air around 7.30am on Radio Sheffield.