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Meaning what? All the Jewish kids knew about Christmas, it wasn't a big secret...and we knew what their holidays were. We were at school to learn, not to be in a Benetton ad.
LMAO... I'd suggest dropping the whole idea (holiday/Christmas parties & such) altogether, but I have a feeling the Christmas celebrators wouldn't be so happy about it!
Meaning what? All the Jewish kids knew about Christmas, it wasn't a big secret...and we knew what their holidays were. We were at school to learn, not to be in a Benetton ad.
Yeah, right. None of the kids wanted presents or anything. Just more arithmetic homework.
Must have been a fun bunch. Bet they're all lawyers now.
LMAO... I'd suggest dropping the whole idea (holiday/Christmas parties & such) altogether, but I have a feeling the Christmas celebrators wouldn't be so happy about it!
LMAO... I'd suggest dropping the whole idea (holiday/Christmas parties & such) altogether, but I have a feeling the Christmas celebrators wouldn't be so happy about it!
I agree; I don't see why people are so hell-bent on forcing children to have Christmas parties. I don't feel that any holiday party enhanced my elementary school experience; all it did was waste time that should have been spent learning.
Yeah, right. None of the kids wanted presents or anything. Just more arithmetic homework.
Must have been a fun bunch. Bet they're all lawyers now.
Oh please; they were always shoving their Hanukah presents in our faces, and a lot of them made out a lot better from Hanukah than we did from Christmas. So....
Oh, and way to stereotype. They're Jewish, so they MUST have grown up to be lawyers.
I agree; I don't see why people are so hell-bent on forcing children to have Christmas parties. I don't feel that any holiday party enhanced my elementary school experience; all it did was waste time that should have been spent learning.
Ah, it's called, Having fun? You know - laughing. Socialization. Relaxing
All of the above actually help kids (and adults) learn you know
Secularists recently changed the name of the state capitol's Christmas tree to that stupid term ~ holiday tree. Today it voted back the name to what it is ~ A CHRISTMAS TREE. Hurray for Wisconsin!
I'm lazy, too, but when I've been away from a topic for a few hours (or days), I like to remember the points that I'm addressing. Like you, I prefer this less restrictive format!
I agree with you that Christmas and the solstice can be thought of as separate celebrations, although there is little doubt that early Christians chose this time of year for the holiday to take advantage of existing observances. My point is that our modern Christmas, as it exists, inlcudes all of the characteristics and traidtions I mentioned earlier. It is not strictly Christian (except, of course, to Christians - -who are free to believe and observe as they wish).
Thanks for clarifying your point about Michelangelo. Perhaps I was unclear in making mine. What I mean to emphasize is that Christian themes inform many aesthetic masterpieces and cultural icons which are central to our heritage. Eliminating them because they refer to relgiion, and are thus (to some people; not me) "forbidden" by the Constitution, is not only incorrect -- it is harmful to our children's understanding of their own heritage, and an abdication of our responsibility as educators.
Again, thank you for clarifying your references to Shakespeare. I hope you can understand my perspective, which is that Shakespeare used Christian beliefs and concepts as the moral and ethical backdrop against which his characters and themes struggled and celebrated.
Example, from Hamlet:
O, that this too too solid flesh would melt
Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!
Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd
His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!
How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, etc....
I hope you can see that my thinking about Christmas is not limited to its Christian aspects. I believe that the contemporary form of the holiday includes the other elements (trees, holly, solstice, etc.), and that it exists largely as a secular observation. I agree with you that to devout Christians, Christmas has certain specific elements which make it central to their faith. But that does not mean that other interpretations and observances are not valid to families, groups, and individuals who feel otherwise. There are metaphorical elements to the holiday which are deep and profound, and which, while spiritual (to many people), are not confiined to religious interpretations.
Sorry to go on so. I appreciate your posts.
I see you point, but I guess that we have different perspectives about whether the Christmas holiday is primarily religious or primarily secular. My perspective may be influenced by the fact that I've always been surrounded by devout Christians growing up, so a religious celebration of Christmas is my primary influence regarding the holiday. Perhaps you have differing experiences.
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Wisconsin brings back the CHRISTMAS TREE....
