Which way around should it be?

Torry_Quine

claire16c wrote: »

But what sort of thing/action would you expect someone to do to 'acknowledge' it though?

Im sure 99% of people know the reasons behind Christmas, but if you are not religious what exactly would you expect that person to do about it?

They wouldnt acknowledge it by going to church for example, becaue theyre not a Christian. I dont know what you would want to happen?

Many people don't seem to know the reason for Christmas though. Not thinking purely of yourself would be a good start or giving to charity

jellyhead wrote: »

I've told my teenager that I took drugs while I was at uni. He is more likely to take our advice and listen to our cautionary tales if he thinks we might have a clue what we are talking about.

I totally admire you for that. I was responding to someone else who was suggesting that lying to children is normal.

euronorris wrote: »

I don't understand why though?

It is entirely possible to celebrate multiple festivals on the same day.

Your desire for people to ackowledge the Christianity aspect of it, suggests that you feel people have 'stolen' the holiday from Christians or that it's disrespectful, and I don't believe either to be true.

It's not so much that people have stolen the holiday from Christians, more that it is just an excuse to overindulge using money many can't afford with no acceptance of Jesus and His birth.

euronorris wrote: »

I actually intend to be very honest with my children, and provide them with the benefit of my honesty, experience and knowledge on the subject.

If they are curious, I would rather they know the facts and make an informed choice about what to do, instead of bowing to peer pressure with no real understanding of the risks they are taking and the effects it will have on their body.

I hope that such an attitude will create an open and honest relationship with them.

As I said I'm very pleased that you wish to be honest with your children.

RAS

mildred1978 wrote: »

I may give in in time and do something small. But I WILL NOT be lying to him about Santa. That is an absolute. I'll teach him that others believe, and that's fine, but we don't.

You will have to be very very careful when you do this, unless you quarantine him for half the year.

That is my view but.... if your child goes round telling other children that Santa does not exist, he and you will be cast out socially.

Is he going to be capable, at the age of three say, of understanding that you and he do not believe in Santa but he is not allowed to say this in front of other children?

claire16c

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Many people don't seem to know the reason for Christmas though. Not thinking purely of yourself would be a good start or giving to charity

I think if you went out and did a survey on the street 99% of people would know the reasons behind the Christian celebration of Christmas ( I dont mean other things like paganism etc which fall at the same time). Most people would have had some kind of teaching of the nativity at school and be well aware of things like the Bible, churches etc.

And Im sure there are plenty of people who give to charity at Christmas - or better still all year around.

But unless they walk the streets with a sign round their neck stating 'Ive given some money to charity and I am thinking of others' how would you know people arent doing things like that anyway? You seem to have just assumed they dont.

Plenty of people on this thread have already talked about Christmas to them meaning the bringing together of family and friends. So some people are clearly thinking of others, by perhaps inviting a lonely friend or family member around for a meal etc. And you dont have to be religious to do that.

Torry_Quine

claire16c wrote: »

I think if you went out and did a survey on the street 99% of people would know the reasons behind the Christian celebration of Christmas ( I dont mean other things like paganism etc which fall at the same time). Most people would have had some kind of teaching of the nativity at school and be well aware of things like the Bible, churches etc.

And Im sure there are plenty of people who give to charity at Christmas - or better still all year around.

But unless they walk the streets with a sign round their neck stating 'Ive given some money to charity and I am thinking of others' how would you know people arent doing things like that anyway? You seem to have just assumed they dont.

Plenty of people on this thread have already talked about Christmas to them meaning the bringing together of family and friends. So some people are clearly thinking of others, by perhaps inviting a lonely friend or family member around for a meal etc. And you dont have to be religious to do that.

Another thought is that the media and TV in particular virtually ignores the Christian aspect of the day.

barbiedoll

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Another thought is that the media and TV in particular virtually ignores the Christian aspect of the day.

Possibly something to do with this?.........

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/may/11/bbc-religion-head-muslim-aaqil-ahmed

mildred1978

RAS wrote: »

You will have to be very very careful when you do this, unless you quarantine him for half the year.

That is my view but.... if your child goes round telling other children that Santa does not exist, he and you will be cast out socially.

Is he going to be capable, at the age of three say, of understanding that you and he do not believe in Santa but he is not allowed to say this in front of other children?

I really don't know how much clearer I can be. If my son wants to believe in Santa at any point that's absolutely fine but I won't be introducing the concept to him, nor will I be faking jingle bells or leaving out mince pies. So there's no reason for us to be ostracised. I won't be telling him he doesn't exist, but I also won't be telling him he does!

Lotus-eater

So what about when he turns round and says "is father Christmas real Mummy"?

milliebear00001

barbiedoll wrote: »

Possibly something to do with this?.........

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/may/11/bbc-religion-head-muslim-aaqil-ahmed

Really? I hadn't noticed a particularly Islamic focus in the UK media.

I think it might be more to do with this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/dec/23/religion.topstories3

margaretclare

So some people are clearly thinking of others, by perhaps inviting a lonely friend or family member around for a meal etc. And you don't have to be religious to do that.

We did that one year. We've often gone away, but that year I'd just had revision of hip replacement and was on crutches. DH knew this woman from the computer club and felt sorry for her. Never again. We invited her for Christmas day meal. She brought her little dog (not included in the invitation) which piddled. After the meal she said in a pathetic voice 'you're not going to throw me out for the rest of the day, are you?' So, we all watched TV together. Only, she didn't like any of the programmes we wanted. She said the prima ballerina of the Royal Ballet 'had no boobs'. She really wanted the soaps, but didn't get them. Then she said she couldn't drive in the dark - we began to fear that we were stuck with her overnight! She eventually gave up when I wanted to watch a film that she didn't want, and left about 8 pm.

She told us she 'couldn't go to either her son's or her daughter's, she wasn't on good terms with them'. We understood why.

mildred1978

Lotus-eater wrote: »

So what about when he turns round and says "is father Christmas real Mummy"?

I'll tell him that some people believe he is, just like some people believe in fairies, and that's okay.