Santa and Judiasm

[Tina]

I was raised Christian, DH was raised Jewish. We practice neither and sort of blend the holidays. DH loves decorating for Christmas. He likes to stick to silver/white and blue lights to kind of make it a Hanukah thing as well. He refers to the tree as the Holiday Tree. We light the menorah every year, too. And let's not forget the music, DH loves Christmas music. I'm usually the one complaining to him to change the station in the car. We don't bring religious into it at all. We just have fun with the winter festivities.

 

[TammyJ]

DS is Christian and dear BIL is Jewish. They blend the holidays. Ever yyear he calls the Christmas Tree a Hannukah Bush. (In good spirit.) We all laugh but he makes sure he has the biggest most well lit Hanukkah Bush inthe neighborhood!

 

[gr8ful4Him]

I totally agree. Santa and Christmas trees aren't exactly the same as a crucifix or a nativity scene but they still symbolize/represent Christmas anyway. Santa Claus was a Catholic Saint.

I understand what you're saying, but go ask a group of children what Christmas is all about. They will most likely answer "Santa Clause" and "getting lots of presents". Some will not know it's the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, even if you ask who's birthday it is.
As much as Jewish folks don't take their kids to see Santa, etc. There are many Christians that don't really care for Santa either. It is a big lie that is told year after year to children everywhere. Saint Nicholas was the saint...Santa Clause is the secular version of him.
I know this wasn't what the OP was looking for...sorry for the sidetrack.
Maybe you all could have a bush/tree/vine/whatever with ornaments with pictures of all of the employees on them and celebrate the company and the year it's had?

 

[aprilgail2]

In my classroom I am really struggling this year. I have 14 students who all celebrate Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa. They want to play Christmas games, talk about Santa, sing Christmas songs, etc. However I have 1 student who is a Jehovah's witness and his parents have made it clear that he is to have nothing to do with Christmas. They originally told me that it was OK to discuss Christmas as a history lesson (I have 5 year olds) but so far I have been unable to come up with anything that they find acceptable. So instead of counting down the days to Christmas we are counting down the days to our winter break. We don't sing any Christmas songs and we have no decorations.

I can't seem to find a balance between what I need to do for my one student and what my other students want to do. I want to respect this child and his family but I also want to respect my other students.

It's getting harder and harder to do the right thing.

Wow, I bet that is going to be one popular kid when the other kids realize that that one kid is the reason they can't do that stuff!! My daughter had one in her class that couldn't do Halloween...and she told all the kids if they go out trick or treating hte devil is goign to enter their soul and torment thme the rest of their lives (this was in KINDERGARTEN!!) and everytime they did a halloween project or party this kid had to go outside and sit in the hall with her desk and do something else...she also couldn't do birthday parties so
when the kids had their parties in class she had to sit outside too...
In class the other day my daughter wrote her letter to Santa and they drew Christmas pictures, I would be very unhappy if that was taken away from them...they also did chanukah pictures and had a kwanza book...they sing christmas songs and chanukah songs and winter songs...I have no problem with any of it...what I do have a problem with though is people trying to suck all the fun out of what they can and cant do in school due to one kids parents!