Celebrating Winter Holidays

[mopar]

My last school district outlawed the celebration of any winter holiday. We were allowed to teach about the holidays but not actually celebrate them in the school. Even though for years, we were able to give our students presents for the holidays as many of our students are from low socioeconomic status.
Now in my new district, we are able to have winter festival but not tie it to any holiday.
I was wondering if anyone else was able to celebrate the holidays in their school. If you aren't, what are you allowed to do in your school for the holidays?

[EricDNA]

We cannot celebrate holidays but we have a cultural winter festival of holiday foods but we cannot call it Christmas or anything like that. No God in school! What a shame of not being able to share traditions.

[mopar]

My thought exactly! Just wondering what others were still allowed to do.

[Boxcar]

You can celebrate and teach about things like snow, Santa, winter, and trees. No things religious, though. Different cultures can be explored if you talk about everyone's.

[mopar]

Isn't Santa related to Christmas? Do you put up a tree? Do you give presents for kids who can't afford a Christmas?

[Chef Dave]

Santa is a Christmas legend and Christmas is a Christian holiday ... which is fine if you want to teach "Christmas Around the World" as long as it is understood that most Arabs, Africans, and Asians are not Christian.

Knowing that I once spent many years living abroad, 8 years as a teacher and 9 as a child, a fellow teacher once asked me to visit her 2nd grade class and to explain what Christmas was like in China.

I told her that Christmas is not a recognized holiday in China.

The woman blinked and then asked, "Well what's a holiday that's most 'like Christmas?'"

I tried to explain that there is no holiday 'like Christmas' because Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ. Christmas is a Christian holiday.

The woman kept insisting that there must be a holiday 'like Christmas' and I couldn't get her to understand that this simply wasn't the case.

The woman wanted to fit a square peg into a round hole ... and it just wouldn't work.

[mopar]

We were told that we could teach many religions and their holiday celebrations to our students. However, I used to teach many students from a low socioeconomic class. We would celebrate the winter break with a little holiday. We put up a tree and a menorah and then placed little presents for the students. Some years we put them under the tree, other years we did stockings, other years I simply put them on their desks each day, and I even tried putting them in their shoes when they went to PE-a dutch tradition. However, my principal said that we couldn't give presents or have a winter celebration because it resembled Christmas too much. Just wondering can be done without celebrating Christmas but still to have a holiday party and give the students gifts-especially those who can't afford to have a Christmas?

Yet, our school still sends money and gifts to some of the homes for the holidays....

[fizz]

OK I'll climb on my soapbox.... I am Jewish, have always been. Celebrated many Christmass in my youth, in classrooms. My take on it as an adult and a teacher? We really have no right to celebrate any holidays in the school system. Yes we can teach about them. Most of us have, in our curriculum standards, a standard about learning the customs of people. that's what we should teach. Especially today, so many of our classrooms are filled with interfaith, mixed, and extended families. If we stick to the foods, the dance, the ritual custom stuff, then we are teaching about people's customs. Yes, make potato latkes, play dreidle, make foods that are specific to particular regions, learn about what people in Germany do for these holidays.... etc... but putting up a Christmas tree, lighting menorahs on Hanukah, erecting a manger with the baby Jesus in it..these are celebrating and I think it's crossing the line.
In my class (special needs kindergarten), we begin a 3 week journey by boarding the Polar Express. The kids get a train ticket punched and board the two rows of chairs. they are served hot chocolate with candy canes (like in the book) and I read the story. Our first week, we look at the different ways people celebrate Christmas. The second week begins by boarding the train again, then we learn about Hanukah. The third, we learn about Kwanzaa. Depending on the dates, sometimes we do the Chinese New Year. During the 3 weeks, the kids make a holiday present to give their parents, we learn about all kinds of lights (all holidays have them), gues what could be in the wrapped boxes (size, weight - math standards), learn about print making (for gift wrapping), etc.. There's no Jesus or Macabees (religious icons), but a lot of sharing. Kwanzaa is pretty safe because it is non religious. Our days are not filled with this stuff. we march on through our regular curriculum, but add in little bits of the holidays.

I don't know if this helps, but there it is.. Thanks

[mopar]

I like that you are able to teach about the holidays while still adding in the fun pieces, like the dreidle game, presents, potato latkes, etc. That seemed to be taken out of our year and we could read stories or talk with students. However, we were not allowed to celebrate with games or food making. I think that it is important for students to understand that celebrating is a tradition/custom of their family. They also need to understand what others celebrate. The students need to gain an appreciate of cultures and should be exposed to differences. However, I do not believe in preaching cultures to students or demanding that they do as I say or do. Thanks fizz!

[Boxcar]

If a teacher incorperates different types of food and games year round, it is usually less of a problem to do something with the holidays. The class is continually esploring other cultures, so the focus on winter traditions isn't a shock or a surprise. I like the idea of trying to include songs, games, books, and foods from other cultures in every day activities. I feel it is a good approach.

[mopar]

That's probably a great way to take the pressure off. I think next year I might start with different cultures early so that I can do some holiday celebrations.

[leafy seadragon]

You absolutley have to celebrate, holidays or no holidays. We are always fitting in celebrations in my class. It adds fun, cultural information about many cultures and we've even created our own celebrations. Indeed, when your stamp card is full because you've behaved well we even sing a little celebration song to the child. Christmas is a great holiday, so are many others, if you give children a window into how people celebrate, it shows we have common threads to our humanity. We all celebrate in some way like we all tell stories and it's great to share those. In our Human Society and it's Environment part of our curriculum in NSW we have a unit of work called Celebrations, very multicultural, lots of fun. We can't take all the fun out of their day or ours really. I'm really looking forward to christmas with my class, we do it in a big way. It's also the end of the school year for us, another reason to celebrate before we go off for our six weeks of summer holidays. I'm off to the beach, can't wait.

[mopar]

Wow! Christmas before summer. With the seasons being flipped between the US and Australia, I guess that makes since. I think that I'd miss the white Christmas if I lived anywhere in the southern hemisphere.

[leafy seadragon]

I think a lot of people do because there is a lot of decorating with fake snow and little snowmen, also we have christmas crds with lots of snow scenes. There has been a few things happening a little more aussie like santa on a surfboard though. We still have some English traditions or traditions from the home land for instance I still sweat profusely while boiling great grandma O'donnells christmas pudding for six hours in the summer heat so I can hang it for a few weeks and then boil it again in the middle of summer.

[kingrichie]

Why not just turn it in to a classroom celebration of hard work and effort? Use it as a tool for team building and an incentive.

[Boxcar]

I like the idea of celebrating many things, including holidays and good behavior.

I think I would miss having Christmas with cold weather. I suppose this is because i've grown up with it that way.

I like the area I live in because I get to see all the seasons. I know some people who really hate the cold and the snow, but I like them. There is something nice about every season.

[leafy seadragon]

I like the idea of celebrating many things, including holidays and good behavior.

I think I would miss having Christmas with cold weather. I suppose this is because i've grown up with it that way.

I like the area I live in because I get to see all the seasons. I know some people who really hate the cold and the snow, but I like them. There is something nice about every season.

There is isn't there? Like every season of your life really. I watched the movie Calendar Girls the other day and it made me think we should really celebrate all the seasons of our lives because there is something beautiful about each one. Like the kids we teach too, find something beautiful about each one and celebrate it (this can be a challenge) but fun!

[3rdgradeteach]

I guess I am blessed because I teach at a christian school and we do celebrate Christmas and most everyone in our school is in agreeance. There is only one I think that the family doesn't celebrate it, but they let their child celebrate with the class by participating in the gift exchange and the party.

[mopar]

Its getting harder and harder to discuss and celebrate the holidays with the students. So many of them are based on Christianity and leaves some students out. If you think about it, there should be no celebrating of Valentine's Day or St. Patrick's Day. All Christian based. However, schools still allow these holidays to be celebrated. Seems rather strange...

[Mrs. Topper]

That is one advantage of teaching at a private Christian school. I get to teach the meaning of the Christmas Holiday. It really makes all of the songs and celebrations so much more meaningful to them. (But I am discouraged from decorating with Santa Claus stuff. That is a little sad because in public school in the 80's teachers still taught us all the secular Christmas songs which were so fun.) I teach out in an island in the Pacific. So for our Christmas party I am going to make green and red popcorn balls. We will do some water balloon tosses. Does anyone have any other ideas for fun indoor party games. Last year I did Bingo with the unusual facts about people, A Christmas Trivia Crossword, etc. That was kind of boring. I want the party to be memorable and you know a reward for a good semester.

[Sock Puppet]

Kwanzaa is pretty safe because it is non religious.

Teaching about a holiday founded by a black supremacist that was convicted of kidnapping and torturing two women and calling it "safe" is simply irresponsible.

One of the principles of Kwanzaa is Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics). In other words, to build and maintain A-A run stores, shops and other businesses so the profits can go to A-As and them alone. Is this not economic self-segregation? What would Rosa Parks say to this?

If any of you plan on teaching about Kwanzaa, please research Ron Karenga first, and see if you still feel it's an appropriate holiday to teach to little children.

[mopar]

This could be true. I haven't done the research. However, if people in your class do believe in this holiday, I don't see why you can't teach it. As the students get older, you could teach the background of the man who developed the holiday.
I believe that we sugar coat many events in history for our younger children. We teach Columbus as a hero and the Oregon Trail. We do not show the young child the downfalls of their heroes or history events.

[Sock Puppet]

This could be true. I haven't done the research. However, if people in your class do believe in this holiday, I don't see why you can't teach it.
This type of logic would dictate that if you have children of clansmen on your roster, you could burn crosses in class as long as you don't tell them the intent of a burning cross.


As the students get older, you could teach the background of the man who developed the holiday.
I believe that we sugar coat many events in history for our younger children. We teach Columbus as a hero and the Oregon Trail. We do not show the young child the downfalls of their heroes or history events.

I can't understand why you would teach CC as anything other than a historical figure and as an icon for Europeans beginning to head over the Atlantic. Do I, as an American of European decent, celebrate Columbus Day? Sure, But I can certainly understand why other ethnicities might be apathetic if not offended by the holiday. So why go there?

If you listen to non-white scholars and artists, there is sustained message to just teach the truth. I think it's great advice.

[mopar]

I think you've gone one step too far with the burning of crosses. I think that discussing something and teaching it is one thing. Showing a burning cross in your classroom is another because that is very disrespectful to some people.
I am not saying that you should be disrespectful but do think that you should be able to educate your students.
By teaching Columbus to students, we are being pro-Caucasian. I am not saying that we shouldn't celebrate Columbus Day but I think that we need to teach and be as unbiased as possible. Allow students the opportunity to make their own opinions. When students bring me research, I do not put it down. I simply let them share it and ask for the classes opinions. However, if they bring me something that is biased or to cruel, I talk with the student who brings it. I try to show them why it is not appropriate for the classroom. By this I mean, students bring positive examples of school bombings taken from a blog or a persuasive argument for self injury.

[Sock Puppet]

I think you've gone one step too far with the burning of crosses. I think that discussing something and teaching it is one thing. Showing a burning cross in your classroom is another because that is very disrespectful to some people.I am not saying that you should be disrespectful but do think that you should be able to educate your students.
Hey, It's your logic, and obviously cross burning is disrespectful. Unfortunately, Kwanzaa is portrayed in positive light despite its origins in hate. What ever you choose to do is on you. Just do the research on Karenga and his involvement in COINTELPRO.


By teaching Columbus to students, we are being pro-Caucasian. I am not saying that we shouldn't celebrate Columbus Day but I think that we need to teach and be as unbiased as possible.
I am saying don't "celebrate" CC. By "celebrating" it, you simply are being biased. Just inform and...
Allow students the opportunity to make their own opinions.

[mopar]

I did do a little research here. It seems the Ron Karenga did do some pretty terrible things to two women. However, it also seems that at his trial a psychiatrist's stated that Karenga's picture of the world is both paranoid and schizophrenic with hallucinations and illusions, inappropriate affect, disorganization, and impaired contact with the environment.
Can we overlook the good that he did by his actions that seem to be out of mental insanity?

We can not stop teaching about our founding fathers, even though they had slaves and did not treat their slaves with respect. Should we not look at the good that came out of the documents that they wrote which we still live by today?

Most political figures have some indecency in their lives. No one is perfect but some are worse than others. It does not mean we must over look any good that they did bring about.

[Chef Dave]

Most political figures have some indecency in their lives. No one is perfect but some are worse than others. It does not mean we must over look any good that they did bring about.

I have mixed feelings about this statement.

Napoleon, for example, was a ruthless despot who conquered all of western Europe except for Spain, Portugal, and Great Britain ... but he introduced the concept of public education, medical care, and merit based promotion.

On the otherhand ... although Hitler raised Germany out of the ashes of WWI and brought his country out of a major depression ... 72 million people died in WWII, 47 million of whom were civilians. He was also responsible for the Holocaust.

The evil that some people commit is often so heinous that the memories of these individuals are only deserving of our contempt.

[Boxcar]

I think that the older students should be shown both sides of the issue. They can hear the facts about the good and the bad. A civil class discussion can follow. We, as teachers, are faciliators. We should provide the students with the necessary information so that they can form their own opinions. We assist them in the process.

I'd be very careful how I did it with the very young, though. You can help them think diversely, but they really aren't at the point where they can evaluate differences in the way older children can. If you can do it in a developmentally appropriate way, that is great. Just be wise about what you say. Most of them look up to their teachers and will parrot whatever you do.

[3rdgradeteach]

I actually made little baby bundt cakes and brought colored frosting and we decorated them in the classroom on Friday as wreaths...it was fun had by all and they got a treat to take home as well...

[3rdgradeteach]

They have already asked me if they can do it again - they really enjoyed it and it gave me a chance to show them a little of my background in cake decorating....just one more thing I can say that I "taught" them...makes you feel good and it will be a memory that they will take with them for as long as they live! How Joyous

[3rdgradeteach]

Sorry all, somehow this ended up on the wrong page...kind of weird...bummer...

[3rdgradeteach]

I don't really have a whole lot to say about this subject...it is really a hard one. All I can say is teach the facts for your age group and use your brain.....it's all about politics these days....:)

[Sock Puppet]

Can we overlook the good that he did by his actions that seem to be out of mental insanity?

If you think the economic segregation of Ujamaa is a good thing, then throw a party.

[Chef Dave]

If people in your class do believe in this holiday, I don't see why you can't teach it.

I agree with Sock Puppet.

April 20 is Hitler's birthday.

If you had a neo-Nazi skinhead in your room, would you celebrate Hitler's birthday?

One would hope not.


By teaching Columbus to students, we are being pro-Caucasian. I am not saying that we shouldn't celebrate Columbus Day but I think that we need to teach and be as unbiased as possible.

So you advocate the celebration of Kwanzaa despite its infamous origins but have a problem with Columbus because it's "pro-Caucasian."

I'm sorry, but I think you're being overly PC about this.

Why should Kwanzaa be more more acceptable than Columbus?

[mopar]

I am not saying that I have a problem with Columbus day. I think that those people who have a problem with Kwanzaa should also have the same issues with Columbus day. However, many people seem to overlook Caucasian holidays and ideas because they are Caucasian. If you don't want to celebrate Kwanzaa or at least recognize it as a holiday, I don't think you should recognize Columbus day either.
Just throwing out the counter example to this argument.
And again, keep in mind the lives of the founding fathers. Are we not to celebrate their accomplishments because of their lives' mistakes?