Winter fest????

[mitsy]

I heard off someone the other day that their local council was thinking about changing the name of christmas to the winter fest so that the asian community could join in - does anyone else agree with this or heard about it? Not sure if the person was joking

[andy-hughes]

Our Council - Stoke-on-Trent - did this last year, there was a bit of grumbling, but most people think the Council are a bit of a waste of space anyway, so this was just one more of their weird and wacky ideas. You should see some of the stainless steel sculptures they've erected around the city! Aparently down to the influence of the firest electe Mayor, who failed toget re-elected - shock horror! (Not!)

[Goodsoulette]

It is also wrong that we are not allowed to celebrate Christmas without some council [edited by AB] encouraging us to forget the true meaning even more. Since when has they had the power to change this anyway they really must be up themselves, I dont know marathon bars, opal fruits I suppose it was only a matter of time till they got the grubby mitts on Christmas.

[edited by AB]

[noxlumos]

Lol Goodsoulette. I actually think that's an excellent idea and will pitch the idea to the nearest stupid Council I can find (Hereford seem mercifully sane and had Christmas Lights and Nativity scenes everywhere)and I'll keep a dead straight face and see what they say.Anyone got any ideas for any more whilst I'm at it?

[Oneeyedvic]

Firslty, I totally disagree with calling it 'Winterfest' etc. I am all for Christmas.

That said, am just curious, how many people actually go to Church and/or attend mass at Christmas? Whilst Christmas is a Christian celebration, it is interesting that I know only one person who attends a church. Personally, I am not Christian, I am on the borders of agnostic / atheist, howver I do follow 'Christian values' and being brought up in a 'Christian country' I celebrate Christmas every year with my family.

So, to play Devil's advocate (possibly in a literal sense) - is it time to realise that the majority of people are not Christian and hence we should rename the Christmas period?

[ludwig]

I'm all in favour of renaming things to better reflect what they really represent - here's my first suggestion ;
Rename all local councils 'tw&t sanctuaries'.

[jake-the-peg]

Re-establish Yule!

More people do the feasting and all the mistletoe and holly stuff than go to Church.

Everybody can celebrate the winter solstice and having a bit more light and warmth just around the corner.

[bazwillrun]

anybody who does not like our customs is free to leave, the sooner the better as far as i am concerned

[Goodsoulette]

This country does in general not celebrate Cristmas as it should be, I rarely go to church but we do go during advent and at Christmas and my kids love it.

We originally had a festival at this time of year to celebrate the end of the long nights and the return of the sun, I think thats lovely too. As long as people are thinking about good will at christmas i dont think it matters. It does just appear to be a huge corporate event that seems to cost me about �4000 every year cause I am worried I wont get a present for someone I should even though they hnever phone at any other time of year.

[netibiza]

Well we may as well bann Christianity to keep the others happy.

[mike1222]

"Maybe we could call Rammadan -Diet week, so we can all join in!!!"

Goodsoulette, you can't say that - there will be a fatwah against you now as you've probably upset our cartoon-hating bretheren!!!

[Goodsoulette]

This is flipping ludicrous, it's okay to disrespect my religion and faith by suggesting that we change the name of the biggest festival in the Christian calender. Yet, when I sarcasticly provide an example of what would happen when we change a muslim festivals name it gets edited, it was no attempt to insult anyone in the muslim community I was just pointing out how stupid an idea it was. Can someone explain this please???? Does everyone except law abiding, hardworking christians have the right to freedom of speech?

Why would I want to attend a winterfest, because I am not celebrating winter I am celebrating the birth of Christ. Call it what you will, its still a Christian festival. How can a non christian community join in? Did anyone from the "asian community" petition the council to say they wanted to join in at Christmas cause if they did I think they were asking the wrong people, surely this lies in the hands of the church.

[Goodsoulette]

Better point out that in my last comment I was not insinuating that anyone except Christians were not hardworking or law abiding, thats just how i would describe myself.

[sp1814]

I would love to get the phone number of these councillors and ask them who in the local Asian community has requested the names of these festivals to be changed.

I have a really horrible feeling that Asians/Muslims are being blamed for the misplaced concerns of white liberals. And if that is the case, it infuriates me, because (as we can see from some of the more fruity posts on AB), it winds white people up to the extent that they see it as some big Muslim plot.

I would hate for my religion to be co-opted by some beardy-sandal-wearing-liberal for some political point.

I've worked with Muslims for decades and not onces have I come across anyone feeling excluded at Christmas.

[sp1814]

I've just thought of someting...and I'm not having a go at anyone's previous posting - just asking this:

why is everyone upset about local councils renaming Christmas to Winterfest?

If we want to celebrate the birth of Christ, shouldn't we be doing it at church rather than in shopping centres or a library?

Furthermore, if local councils are funded through council tax, should they be spending money on festivals that exclude part of the community???

Before the bricks start flying, I'm not saying this is my point of view...it's just something that's occurred to me. Haven't made up my mind on it yet.

[libertie]

They can rename Christmas anything they like...I for one will still be going to Mass to celebrate the birth of Christ, sending Christmas cards, eating Christmas lunch, decorating a Christmas tree and (hopefully) opening loads of Christmas presents....as will most of my family and friends!! My mum is convinced that the people behind these ideas are doing it simply to stir up unrest, don't know for sure but maybe she has a point!!

BTW can't believe that Goodsoulette's post was edited, I read it and never for one minute thought it was anything other than amusing, certainly did'nt think it was malicious...see that mike1222 has repeated it.....read it while you can!!

[PowderKeg]

sp1814 councils spend tonnes of money in areas that exclude others. Just one example: renovating council houses - do they renovate owner occupied houses?

[sp1814]

But councils renovate council houses because they're getting rent....from council tenants. As borough councils doesn't collect a portion of your mortgage, why would they have to renovate your house?

Honest everyone - I'm simply trying to understand the reasoning behind these stories, and the more I think of it, the more it makes sense. If I saw the local council spending millions of pounds on a Hindu/Jewish/Muslim/Christian festival and I knew they were spending my hard earned money celebrating a religion I didn't subscribe to, I'd be a bit miffed.

However, whenever it's a Muslim, Jewish, Hindu celebration, I've noticed, at least with the boroughs I've lived in (Southwark, Lambeth and now Islington), no council money is used to fund these events. It's normally collected through local fundraising events/synagogues etc.

Could it be that we as a nation don't really do 'the whole Christian thing' any more? How many of us go to church every week? I know what a church looks like, but I can't recall the last time I actually went into one.

[ludwig]

sp1814 - 'why is everyone upset about local councils renaming Christmas to Winterfest?'

Because it's a bl00dy stupid patronising idea, and because it's not theirs to rename, any more than they can rename Thursday to Harrypotterday on the grounds that the name Thursday excludes non-viking members of the community who don't worship the god Thor.

[ludwig]

Here's a theory. This is nothing to do with PC loonyleftyism, and it's actually all about money. The council has a budget for chistmas lights, decorations etc. However, they spend nothing on dewali (sp?), or other religious festivals, so to get out of having to deal with claims from all and sundry religious groups for equal funding for their festivals they say - 'ah ha - but these are not christian decorations, these are secular 'winterfest decorations' you can all join in!! we represent the whole community equally, and favour no religion above another"

[sp1814]

Ludwig - never thought of that...and it makes a weird kind of sense.

With regard to the renaming of Thursdays - they can't rename it because I've already renamed it to Madonnaday, in honour of our good lady. Not only does she appear several times in the bible, but she also takes time out to record pop singles - which ancient god of war can claim that? None, I'll warrant you.