How does your school district handle holiday decorations, songs, parties, etc.?

[AnnieW625]

I guess there is a law in Texas now that says it is okay for public schools to have some sort of Christmas theming in their classrooms.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/09/us-usa-christmas-texas-idUSBRE9B814V20131209

I grew up in a pretty Christian populated area in Northern California that was a mix of caucaisan and hispanic mainly and went to public school. Other than hispanics and or Mexicans (mainly farm laborers who'd come and go or stay for a time if the work was good) there weren't very many minorities or people of non Christian religions, except for some Pakistanis, and some Hindus. I don't ever remember being told that we couldn't wear Christmas shirts, not sing Christmas songs or the teacher couldn't put a small desk size fake tree in the classroom or not decorate the boards in Christmas colors or hang ornament like balls from the ceiling, and we always had a Christmas party too. I didn't know many Jewish children at all or if I did I didn't know they were Jewish or any other religion because everyone participated in anything holiday related at school.

My DD1 goes to a Catholic school and has Santa pictures every year with Santa (one of the teacher's dad) and they have a Christmas program, but I am not sure what they do in our public schools anymore.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

well our case is sort of irrelevant as it's a daycare, and not a public school. but every December they do a different theme...one week of Hannukah, one week of Christmas, and one week Kwanzaa. The other week it is closed (week of Christmas). In the lobby there is a giant Santa as well as Menorah, Kwanzaa, and some Chinese dragon decorations. This week is Hannukah and i got pics of DS spinning a dreidel and he was telling me he liked that and I thought that was pretty cool. We celebrate Christmas but I like the idea of exposing the kids to other celebrations so they don't think it's the strangest thing ever to meet people who don't celebrate it. We are not in an very diverse area, mostly WASPs...maybe there is one or two non-Caucasian children per class.

and the Merry Christmas law is getting tons of attention here. this blog entry pretty much sums up how i feel about the "war on Christmas"
http://www.jennifermcgrail.com/2011/11/happy-holidays-and-other-four-letter-words/

[brittone2]

There was a big blowup here locally over Halloween when one elementary in our district sent home a letter stating there would be no Halloween festivities. There are many elementary schools within the SD, and just one principal sent home a letter.

The SD later had a PR person get involved and backtrack saying it wasn't about religious opposition, but time away from education. That wasn't how it was originally presented.

We live in an area that is fairly diverse in terms of religious beliefs.

My kids don't attend PS, so I don't know much about the official policies, other than what occasionally hits the news.

eta: I grew up in an area that was NOT diverse at all. I remember a few kids being picked on because they were Catholic vs. Protestant. "Catholic" was very much minority let alone someone having non-Christian religious beliefs. We had a Christmas concert, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if that was still the case.

[lizzywednesday]

I attended public high school. We didn't have holiday decorations but we DID do a mix of religious and non-religious holiday music at our concerts.

We still do.

Why? Not because we're trying to convert anyone, but because we performed the "best" music, which most often was religious music. (Our director was of the "great books" theory of education - expose students to "great" works of literature, art, and music for a fully-literate education.)

However, I do have to note that our district isn't exactly the most diverse - mostly higher SES status families, predominantly Christian, though I had friends who were "culturally Jewish." If I recall correctly, we had one or two Muslim families ... and about the same number of Hindu families.

In our current district, I'm not sure what they do. But there's enough diversity in our area that a law like that wouldn't fly.

[bisous]

I moved during December 2 years ago. The schools were about 20 miles apart, in the same county and same general "Greater Los Angeles" area. The first school had the principal greeting visitors with "Happy Winter Holiday" and the second had Christmas Trees all over the office and had Silent Night playing in the background.

This kind of cultural difference could be felt in every aspect of the school, though. The first school held a "Gala" as the big fundraiser to help fund the "water bottle refill stations" that they were installing in the school. The big fundraiser for the second school was McDonalds bucks. I kind of just feel like the 2nd school was ten to twenty years behind the times, KWIM?

We're in a 3rd school now and they mention/teach all December holidays. That is my personal favorite way to do it. I like my kids to learn about all the cultural and religious holidays and feel like as long as there is no favoritism or proselytizing that it should be okay. I have noticed more diversity at this 3rd school than either of the two prior schools.

[wendibird22]

DD1 goes to public school. We live in small town USA. The school has a Christmas Sing, a Santa's Secret Shop, and DDs class is doing a Secret Santa ($3 gift, no picking names just girl gift or boy gift). As DH put it, "We live in 1950s."

[carolinacool]

I grew up in a small town in rural Southern Virginia that was literally half white people, half black people and the Filipino family. Not trying to be funny, but that was our diversity. We always put on Christmas concerts, had Christmas parties, sang Christmas songs - secular and religious. No one ever batted an eye. I don't know anyone in the school system back there now and I'm sure things have changed, but I'm sure they are still much more "traditional," if you will, about how they celebrate that time in December.

At DS' day care they are very careful about how they phrase things (winter break, fall festival), so I assume they are mirroring the public school system where I live now (large city, much more diversity, etc).

[georgiegirl]

Dd (2nd grade) is learning about all of the holidays, which it really like since its 99% Christian here. Dd is 1/2 Jewish and is the only one.

[Pennylane]

Another reason I love living in Texas! This year my DS's teacher put up a tree in the classroom. They discuss all the holidays, just so glad that now Christmas can be one of them.

Ann


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[KrisM]

DD1 goes to public school. We live in small town USA. The school has a Christmas Sing, a Santa's Secret Shop, and DDs class is doing a Secret Santa ($3 gift, no picking names just girl gift or boy gift). As DH put it, "We live in 1950s."

This is us, too. They do talk about other celebrations and learn about them. But, it's very much Christmas.

[vonfirmath]

Our school has an annual Holiday Festival including pictures with santa (got cancelled due to weather this year :( ) There are angels allowed. And a Christmas tree decorated in the main area. Last year they brought home information on different days about Kwanza and Hanukah, but nothing about Jesus' birth.

They are having a Polar Express Day to just hang in pjs and read all day the Thursday before school gets out and a Holiday party on Friday (including pizza and a small $$ puzzle exchange)

They are doing a project (due Monday) on "Holidays around the world" where they are supposed to talk about "Winter holidays" in the country they were assigned. But the questions are very geared to Christmas, even if the rest of the verbiage is more generic. And, since we have Japan (which has Emperor's Birthday -- Dec 23 -- and New Year's Day as the only two MAJOR holidays in this time period) I can see why. My son is only interested in how they celebrate Christmas in particular -- which means that is what his classmates are likely going to be interested in (They have to present orally as well)

[Nooknookmom]

Christmas party it is! Santa galore, food, and at our turkey day feast on little girl said the prayer before we ate. So our district is very condusive to Christmas. Although they also learn about other traditions. So good all around.

[Momit]

DS is not in public school yet, but his preschool is run by the parks and rec department. They are having a winter program and cookie exchange on Monday. I did notice that they are singing "We wish you a happy holiday" instead of "...a Merry Christmas" so it sounds like they're trying to cover all the bases.

[arivecchi]

No Santa or Christmas imagery here which is a-ok with me. My DS has a winter party coming up. I have no idea why people get so riled up about this stuff.

[maestramommy]

This is really a sore spot for a friend of mine who is Jewish. 3 out of 4 of her kids are in private, but one DD goes to public. In her afterschool care they have green white and red chains counting down to Christmas, which she wasn't happy about. Also, the 3rd and 4th graders have a holiday concert in which they sing Silent Night. Her beef is partly that Christmas is so dominant, but also, why is there any celebration of a religious holiday in the public schools? I think the teachers always welcome parents to come in and share about their religious/cultural holiday, but I guess that's not her point.

As a Christian I sympathize, I can't imagine how it feels to be such religious minority in this town. And even though our school tries to keep it just "Holiday" or "winter" stuff, inevitably Christmas creeps in, esp. when you are talking music.

[hellokitty]

DD1 goes to public school. We live in small town USA. The school has a Christmas Sing, a Santa's Secret Shop, and DDs class is doing a Secret Santa ($3 gift, no picking names just girl gift or boy gift). As DH put it, "We live in 1950s."

Yup, it is the same here. DS1's class is doing a gift exchange and the kids at school all write letters to santa and it's not uncommon to have to write an essay/show and tell about what you got for christmas, etc.. I would feel really bad for any kids who don't celebrate christmas who have to feel uncomfortable about that part. They cater to the conservative christians and we aren't allowed to do halloween, everything is a, "havest festival," yet they go all out for christmas. The inconsistency is what bugs me. My biggest beef is that they keep sending out fliers for a group called, "the good news club." DS2 has been begging me to go, b/c one of his friends goes and keeps telling him how great it is. It's an after school christian group and he doesn't understand that I don't want him to go to it, b/c we aren't christian and I don't want him to be proselytized. It irks me that the school (public) sends out anything religious related at all. They do the same for halloween, church, "havest parties" and trunk or treats are advertised and fliers come home, yet we aren't allowed to do anything with monsters/ghosts/witches for "harvest" parties at school. It doesn't bug the majority of the ppl though, b/c they cater to the majority, so I am probably one of the few ppl who even notices this and if I brought it up, it would be shot down big time. So, I just grumble about it to my dh (who grew up catholic, but agrees with me that it is obviously skewed toward christian beliefs in our area).

[SASM]

New state/school. Seems there is a Winter Celebration theme for two of my kids. Haven't heard from DD2's teacher yet but I am expecting the same. The 1st grade concert has a Gingerbread theme around the various books. The school library has all if their Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc books out front and center, though. :)

ETA: Our last school had no problem with the Christmas theme. Christian religions were definitely the majority in that area.

[PZMommy]

My boys' pre-school is 100% Christmas. They sing Christmas songs, Christmas decorations, Christmas activities, they have a Christmas program, etc.

The public school I teach at does a Winter Program and we try to teach a bit about each of the holidays. I teach a bit of each of the holidays, but I tend to focus on gingerbread men and snowmen. It is safer that way. However, most of the stories I read at this time of the year are Christmas stories. I have a few Chanukah stories and a few Kwanza ones that I also read. This year all of my students celebrate Christmas, which makes it easier.

[jent]

Wow, the public schools that celebrate Christmas holidays seem so odd to me!

Growing up, our schools usually made some attempt to be inclusive-- the holiday concerts with both Christmas and Hanukah songs, etc. Although it probably was skewed a little more pro-Christmas. DD's school does NOT do holidays-- at least not parties. They do invite parents to talk about holiday/ religious traditions and so far (K and 1st grade) it seems that they've had volunteers.

I'm not really sure why people think religious holidays need to be celebrated in schools. There are enough times for a kid to feel left out at school, holiday parties/activities organized by grown-ups don't have to be one of them. I also don't get why people take offense at Happy Holidays over Merry Christmas from say, a store clerk. Why should you care that the clerk, a stranger to you, doesn't assume you practice a certain religion? What is wrong with wishing someone happiness?

I do admit that I think the phrase "Season's Greetings" is meaningless. We can ditch that one, I won't be offended.

[vonfirmath]

Wow, the public schools that celebrate Christmas holidays seem so odd to me!

Growing up, our schools usually made some attempt to be inclusive-- the holiday concerts with both Christmas and Hanukah songs, etc. Although it probably was skewed a little more pro-Christmas. DD's school does NOT do holidays-- at least not parties. They do invite parents to talk about holiday/ religious traditions and so far (K and 1st grade) it seems that they've had volunteers.

I'm not really sure why people think religious holidays need to be celebrated in schools. There are enough times for a kid to feel left out at school, holiday parties/activities organized by grown-ups don't have to be one of them. I also don't get why people take offense at Happy Holidays over Merry Christmas from say, a store clerk. Why should you care that the clerk, a stranger to you, doesn't assume you practice a certain religion? What is wrong with wishing someone happiness?

I do admit that I think the phrase "Season's Greetings" is meaningless. We can ditch that one, I won't be offended.

I guess it depends on if you think Christmas is religious or cultural.
I know religious folk who celebrate Christmas as a cultural holiday. Santa. Christmas trees. Candy Canes. Light Decorations. Commercialism. I know Jewish folks who celebrate Christmas. And many many agnostics and athiests who celebrate Christmas with no heartburn at all. And even sing songs that have some religious wordage, due to the classicness of it. Many of our classic novels include Christmas in them in one way or another, and a lot of our classic music was originally written for church. Trying to excise all of that does no one any good.

I think Christmas is both. But it is very definitely a part of America as well as a religious holiday so removing it entirely is removing a part of our national culture. And doing that at the same time you make a big deal of Hanukkah (A fairly minor Jewish holiday that has become large because of its proximity to Christmas) And Kwanzaa (which is a completely made up holiday, never celebrated before the mid-1960s) is particularly galling.

Even Japan celebrates Christmas -- and its mostly not-Christian. But they've taken it from America. All the commercial aspects.

More evidence toward the prominence of Christmas in American culture: Advent calendars (Playmobil, Lego, chocolate, etc) are... 25 windows big. The Advent SEASON does not start on Dec 1. It starts on Advent Sunday (Always a Sunday) -- the 4th Sunday before Christmas. So some time between Nov 27 and Dec 3. Yet these Advent calendars are always counting down 25 days and intended to be started on Dec 1. What happens on Dec 25? Its not a generic holiday. It is Christmas. And how many advent calendars are sold every year? is there such a thing to count down toward Hanukah? Kwanzaa? The Winter Solstice? I've never heard of it. Is everyone buying those multitude of calendars and types of calendars religious? I don't think so. I'm not sure most were even aware that advent is anything other than a countdown to christmas. (I grew up in church and didn't know this until I was an adult)

[♥ms.pacman♥]

i do agree that in America, Christmas has become a cultural & secular holiday ..i'm guessing a good 1/3 of people who do the Santa, put up Christmas trees aren't Christian, it's just part of the holiday. And yes, Christmas is celebrated in Japan too, as a secular holiday (it's more couples-oriented vs. a family type holiday). It is very different from South America, for example, where Christmas is more of a religious celebration (more Nativity scenes, etc vs. reindeer,Santa, candy canes etc).

Still though, i am shocked that in public schools in certain areas, Christmas tends to dominate so much, and it's the assumed holiday. Odd to me bc I grew up in the Bay Area and even back in 80s, it wasn't like that. I think it's a good idea for kids to learn that not everyone celebrates Christmas, and different people celebrate different things.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

They cater to the conservative christians and we aren't allowed to do halloween, everything is a, "havest festival," yet they go all out for christmas. The inconsistency is what bugs me. My biggest beef is that they keep sending out fliers for a group called, "the good news club." DS2 has been begging me to go, b/c one of his friends goes and keeps telling him how great it is. It's an after school christian group and he doesn't understand that I don't want him to go to it, b/c we aren't christian and I don't want him to be proselytized. It irks me that the school (public) sends out anything religious related at all. They do the same for halloween, church, "havest parties" and trunk or treats are advertised and fliers come home, yet we aren't allowed to do anything with monsters/ghosts/witches for "harvest" parties at school. It doesn't bug the majority of the ppl though, b/c they cater to the majority, so I am probably one of the few ppl who even notices this and if I brought it up, it would be shot down big time. So, I just grumble about it to my dh (who grew up catholic, but agrees with me that it is obviously skewed toward christian beliefs in our area).
WOW. So Christmas is a-ok, but Halloween is not allowed? Ok, you win. That takes the cake!! I would have major beef with that too. At least here they go all out for Halloween too...pumpkins, witches, etc.

[carolinacool]

Still though, i am shocked that in public schools in certain areas, Christmas tends to dominate so much, and it's the assumed holiday. Odd to me bc I grew up in the Bay Area and even back in 80s, it wasn't like that. I think it's a good idea for kids to learn that not everyone celebrates Christmas, and different people celebrate different things.

I think that's because in many areas, it IS the holiday. I think when everyone in the school celebrates one thing, it doesn't occur to anyone --especially in the 80s -- to really mention anything else. I do wish our schools had talked a little bit more about other holidays. I was probably in college before I got a full understanding of hanukkah. But there wasn't a single Jewish person in my town. I guess the thought was there was no need to be inclusive if there was no one there to be included. One of the strikes of small-town living with no diversity.

[crayonblue]

DD1's school in Maryland touched on all the different holidays and also the different religious ones. No one got bent out of shape.

Here in California, her school only talked about Christmas. That struck DD1 as strange since she was so used to the Jewish holidays being a big deal (and getting out of school for them!).

Now she is in a private Christian school so Christmas celebrating is very big!

[abh5e8]

interesting comments for sure!

one thought i have, is that the federal and state holidays include Christmas. banks are closed, schools closed and all, but not for any other "winter" holidays. so Christmas is clearly a part of American history and culture.

and, the celebration of Christmas with santa, north pole, reindeer, trees, candycanes - that is all secular. not part of a religion at all. christmas trees and candy canes have pagan roots, not Christian. its a winter holiday where most exchange gifts. eat candy, drink eggnog. so i dont' really get why people are opposed to celebrating this in schools? how is that any different from Halloween?

and I admit, as someone who does celebrate Christmas and Advent as a religious holidays, I would be glad to NOT have the celebration of santa et all pushed on my kids in school. we do exchange gifts and celebrate in lots of other ways, but we skip all the santa business. (but we don't go to public school, so its not an issue). I prefer religious education to be at home or a religious organization's location. so lets leave all the religous holidays out of public schools and focus on actual education.

[cvanbrunt]

All holidays are ignored in our public school with the exception of Thanksgiving. No celebrations of Christian holidays thinly veiled as a "seasonal event". But my kids go to a school where all announcements are printed in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Armenian, and Hindi. I love it.

[egoldber]

Our district has an incredible amount of diversity. I don't know if it's an official "policy" but what I have observed is that the winter decoratioms tend to be winter themed vs. holiday. So snowflakes and snowmen vs. Santa. Gingerbread men and houses also seem to be fair game and holly and mistletoe.

My older DD has done orchestra and chorus. The music selections at the winter concerts (and they call then winter concerts, not holiday concerts) are generally a cross section of musical selections from various cultures. I am very happy with what they do and I know the teachers work very hard to be culturally sensitive.

[anonomom]

I find DD1's school to be bewilderingly inconsistent as far as the holidays go. They have never celebrated Halloween at all, to the point where I wasn't allowed to do a class center that included Jack O'Lanterns. There was similarly little mention of Thanksgiving. And DD has never had a class Christmas party (or a party for any other holiday). But there's a tree in the lobby, DD spent a week in Kindergarten making Christmas crafts (candy canes, reindeer, snowmen, etc.) and our fifth-grade choir gives a concert that as far as I can tell is overtly and exclusively Christmas -- this year, the theme is the Night Before Christmas. The policy seems to be that parties and celebrations of any type are strongly discouraged on a classroom level, but the school itself recognizes Christmas and no other seasonal holiday.

DD2's preschool doesn't celebrate any of the mainstream holidays -- not Halloween or Thanksgiving or Christmas or even Valentine's day. The big school celebration is "international day," and they do a "Friendship day" on February 14. Suits me just fine.

ETA: We have also been strongly discouraged, as room parents, from doing any kind of group gifts for the teachers, for Christmas or any other holiday. They do not want the teachers receiving any gifts of "significant value."

[vonfirmath]

WOW. So Christmas is a-ok, but Halloween is not allowed? Ok, you win. That takes the cake!! I would have major beef with that too. At least here they go all out for Halloween too...pumpkins, witches, etc.

Laugh. Halloween is done in the same "sorta hands off" way as Christmas. Pumpkins (even decorated), Costumes In K (on a nursery rhyme theme), bats, Scarecrows -- all the decorations of Halloween, including the colors black and orange. But no formal parties. (And they had a half day the day BEFORE Halloween! I wasn't sure what that was about. With the craziness of kid on Halloween and the day after I think it would have made more sense to use one of those days as the half day!)