Away with the Manger

4 Dec 2012

In all honesty how many kids or their parents nowadays could be regarded as true believers, or do they only get involved with the Xmas hype? As such, is there really too much wrong with moving away from the 'traditional' nativity, which is always going to be the same format and boring to most children, and replacing it with something more relevant to the participants? Who knows, it might even impart more of a moral attitude to those involved?
My daughter's primary school stopped the traditional nativity years ago and went for something more original - still with a Christian theme - but which was far more inclusive. It gave my daughter - and all her classmates - more of a challenging role and encouraged her to take part in all sorts of other performance opportunities, bolstering her self confidence no end.
And I note the article uses the standard get-out clause of "... some parents believe the story is inappropriate for the school's seven to 11-year-old intake". Funny how it's never all parents isn't it. confused

4 Dec 2012

inclusivity and fun for all the kids gets my vote everytime over some outdated religious fairy story.

4 Dec 2012

Quote by flower411
It is reported that an Essex school has ditched the traditional nativity play for one involving a jewellery robbery.

Apparently parents are up in arms about the whole thing.
I heard about this yesterday and after poking about a bit online it seems that the reporting isn`t entirely true !! Shock horror !!
Anyway ....facts notwithstanding
Is there really anything wrong with children having a bit of fun with their nativity play and not necessarily sticking to the rules. Looks to me like a bit of a storm in a teacup and I`m sure that whatever a school does, it would be possible to find a disgruntled parent prepared to claim to a reporter that they are going to withdraw their children !

well you know what that lot from essex are like.......... if it aint nailed down lol

5 Dec 2012

Quote by flower411
It is reported that an Essex school has ditched the traditional nativity play for one involving a jewellery robbery.

I agree with ditching the "Nativity play". I'd recommend that schools now perform a "Passivity play", to get the children used to being passive in the face of government edicts which do nothing more than make the rich richer and the poor poorer (and, of course, the bankers wealthier).
Oh..., hang on... We already do that.
:twisted:

6 Dec 2012

Quote by flower411
Blimey Phil, steady on !!! Thats three posts this year !!

Yeah - looks like I'm slipping. I didn't mean to post at all! wink

6 Dec 2012

I'd say - bring back a nice, inclusive Pagan Midwinter Festival. A bonfire in the grounds (if they have land), a feast, loads of singing and dancing and a Winter King and Winter Queen to celebrate the birth of the new year and the ending of the dark nights.
Forget all that namby pamby Christian guff. A solid and hearty earth-based celebration warms the blood far better.

6 Dec 2012

Quote by foxylady2209
I'd say - bring back a nice, inclusive Pagan Midwinter Festival. A bonfire in the grounds (if they have land), a feast, loads of singing and dancing and a Winter King and Winter Queen to celebrate the birth of the new year and the ending of the dark nights.
Forget all that namby pamby Christian guff. A solid and hearty earth-based celebration warms the blood far better.

You have sold it to me wink

7 Dec 2012

Quote by Stevie_and_Kitty
inclusivity and fun for all the kids gets my vote everytime over some outdated religious fairy story.

That fewer and fewer even of your Anglo-Saxon types really believe in anyways, they just want their kids to have what they had, and their parents before them, and so on whether it makes sense or not. Why the outrage that things change with the times? Intellectual Luddism, let's go back to candles and wheelbarrows, no reason why not if it was good enough for our forebears. Last thing we want is something that develops with and is reflective of the present social climate our kids actually live in and must find their way in. Bloody schools, where do they get off with this edumacashunal shit? rolleyes

Quote by phil_osopher
Blimey Phil, steady on !!! Thats three posts this year !!

Yeah - looks like I'm slipping. I didn't mean to post at all! wink

Shocking. How you meant to maintain that piss poor post count of yours Phil if you keep slipping like this? Must try harder! ;)
Good to see you BTW. smile

Quote by foxylady2209
I'd say - bring back a nice, inclusive Pagan Midwinter Festival. A bonfire in the grounds (if they have land), a feast, loads of singing and dancing and a Winter King and Winter Queen to celebrate the birth of the new year and the ending of the dark nights.
Forget all that namby pamby Christian guff. A solid and hearty earth-based celebration warms the blood far better.

Quite!

Traditional = a habit we've got into doing, that's subject to evolution and revolution. Making new traditions is quite doable. Long overdue perhaps in my view.

7 Dec 2012

I agree with the idea that we should all just have a bloody good time - and why save it all for mid-winter? Why not just have a good time ALL the time?

Quote by neilinleeds
Blimey Phil, steady on !!! Thats three posts this year !!

Yeah - looks like I'm slipping. I didn't mean to post at all! wink

Shocking. How you meant to maintain that piss poor post count of yours Phil if you keep slipping like this? Must try harder! ;)
Good to see you BTW. smile

Well, I didn't think anyone would remember me after all this time! You must have an exceptional memory Neil!
I AM trying to keep up the piss-poor post count though.
Damn! You made me post again!!!! banghead

7 Dec 2012

I remember you well Phil. Nothing special, just seem to recall we quite regularly crossed threads years back and always enjoyed your posts. You should post more but hey, your call. No reply necessary, would hate to be seen to be trying to sucker you into yet another reply! ;)

11 Dec 2012

Thanks Neil.
... banghead

Dammit!

12 Dec 2012

Think we should leave it out now Flower. I feel cruel teasing yet more posts of out Phil like this, like I've been torturing kittens or summink.
Aw fuck it! lol

12 Dec 2012

Take this thread to Cuba
Oh sorry was thinking of something else lol

12 Dec 2012

No chance these days Warwick, not with airline security like it is. Look what happened last time I tried to fly a thread off somewhere sunny:

We could possibly take it to Cleethorpes by National Express but Cuba, other Central and Southern American dictatorships, it's not happening mate, those times are gone. Shame really, I'm bloody freezing.
*burns office stationary in a feeble attempt to keep warm*

12 Dec 2012

Et tu, Warwick-e??? Been under the water lately?
Good luck with the stationary Neil!
(...is bloody glad to be in Greece right now! 17 degrees & sunny here)
Wishing all my old pals on SH a merry chrimbo!

Are you sure?