Karen,
BRAVO! I SO wanted to respond to Vaneesa's original post, but you put it
beautifully!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Renée
Renée Bishop
Librarian/Liturgy Coordinator/Music
Saint Peter the Apostle School
Parsippany, NJ
In a message dated 11/25/2004 10:20:42 PM Eastern Standard Time,
LISTSERV@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU writes:
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2004 22:12:10 -0500
From: The DeFranks <knarfed@VOICENET.COM>
Subject: Re: Fw: Was THE HOLY BIBLE now Christmas Traditions
Dear Vanessa -
I responded to the initial question about the Holy Bible with the remark
about reading the Nativity story at Christmas and the person I responded to
sent it to the entire group.
By reading the Nativity story I'm not celebrating a birthday. I'm sharing
the 2,000 year old, traditional Christmas story. And I while I know the true
origins of Christmas I don't think that's really applicable to my first,
second and third graders.
I'm sorry you would be offended if your child went to my school. I hope you
share this with your child's librarian so s/he doesn't offend you. I don't
expect anyone to believe as I do - but I do enjoy sharing and loving my
students. In my house we celebrate Christmas, Jesus's birth. Santa Claus
brings gifts to the small ones and the rest of us give gifts to each other,
in honor of the gift God gave us, his love and his Son.
I read the Nativity story in school. I read Santa stories, too. I read them
in December, usually during the last week of school before the Christmas
holiday. That's when people celebrate Christmas. I preface the stories with,
"Every family celebrates something. In my house we celebrate Christmas. We
remember Jesus's birth and we give gifts to each other. Santa comes on
Christmas Eve. Maybe you do something similar in your house - maybe you do
something different. Isn't it great that we can share?"
The nativity story does not show anyone celebrating a birthday. It is a
history story from the Bible that I choose to share, like many people around
the globe, with the people I love - my family and my kids at school. It's
American culture. I don't say it is the BEST way to celebrate. I don't say
it is the ONLY way. I say it is the way my family celebrates.
I don't think it's my place to talk about a Crucifiction with first, second
and third graders. It is an important story, but in the twenty or so minutes
I have with the children it could also come off as gruesome and gory. Since
we have the week before Easter off from school, reading the Easter story
really doesn't fit in the plans.
I'm glad you shared your feelings with the group. It must be very difficult
to explain to your son what all the hoopla is about on December 25. I know
not everyone believes as I do, and that's what makes life so interesting.
Karen DeFrank
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