I remember singing about the dreidel in grade school and had no issues with it.
I don't remember even knowing what a dreidel was despite knowing some Jewish kids in my neighborhood and school. We certainly didn't acknowledge Hanukkah at my school.
I don't remember even knowing what a dreidel was despite knowing some Jewish kids in my neighborhood and school. We certainly didn't acknowledge Hanukkah at my school.
Did your 'spring break' coincide with Passover? We're you off from school for Yom Kippur, and Rosh Hashanah?
Did your 'spring break' coincide with Passover? We're you off from school for Yom Kippur, and Rosh Hashanah?
I'm sure it did on occasion but with a public school in a congested state they spread it out so it was from March to May, and I think there was even a first week of June Spring Break before we came back for the last 2 weeks of school.
I don't remember even knowing what a dreidel was despite knowing some Jewish kids in my neighborhood and school. We certainly didn't acknowledge Hanukkah at my school.
That's why all religious holidays should be celebrated instead of calling it a generic holiday season. You learn nothing about generic crap.
As a side note, should we stop calling the Fourth of July, Independence Day? It could offend non-citizens or Brits.
I'm sure it did on occasion but with a public school in a congested state they spread it out so it was from March to May, and I think there was even a first week of June Spring Break before we came back for the last 2 weeks of school.
I can tell you for a fact that in NYC (or if you ask Jesse Jackson 'hymie town') spring break always coincides with Passover.
That's why all religious holidays should be celebrated instead of calling it a generic holiday season. You learn nothing about generic crap.
1) They should, but they aren't, because Christmas is insecure.
2) Since the Christmas Tree is specific to Christmas it should not be called a Holiday Tree, but the season of all these religious holidays should be called the Holiday Season, the same way an iPod Nano should be called by its name and the grouping should be PMP or Portable Music Player.
As a side note, should we stop calling the Fourth of July, Independence Day? It could offend non-citizens or Brits.
That's ridiculous. If you're a Christian House you would call it the Christmas Season, so would you not expect to offend people in the US when talking about the Fourth of July as the date of America's independence.
That's why all religious holidays should be celebrated instead of calling it a generic holiday season. You learn nothing about generic crap.
As a side note, should we stop calling the Fourth of July, Independence Day? It could offend non-citizens or Brits.
Brits maybe, but in my experience foreigners, or as you put it 'non-citizens' love July 4th. Who else but Americans can create a holiday in which you eat, drink all day, and at the end blow stuff up?
Not shortsighted, just observant. As music has spread faster round the earth, Western music has embedded itself more deeply than ever. There is no chance that any other music system will arise, because of the fundamental truth of music itself. It's not just a question of a culture being dominant; I'm talking about the building blocks of music, the atomic layer, if you like.
In the interests of not offending people who aren't called Crowley, I shall now call you Forum Member.
And can we now call you Frosty the Zombie? Because you've surely been bitten by that other music expert and bigot, Dr. "Franken"-Blank who we "thought" was expelled from these parts a ways back... :rolleyes:
I've got a number of American friends living in London and we love celebrating Independence Day. I don't think anyone here is particularly scarred by that memory, though generally we tend to celebrate victories rather than defeats. It's 200 years since Waterloo next Summer!
At least we agree it's a Christmas Tree and not a Holiday Tree.
Not that Wiki is the most reliable of sources, but I just had to look up what some people have known for years. I personally prefer Yuletide greetings as well.... because it has tide in it and reminds me of surfing on X-mas day '84 (or 85?) in Malibu... :smokey:
The custom of the Christmas tree developed in early modern Germany (where it is today called Weihnachtsbaum or Christbaum) with predecessors that can be traced to the 16th and possibly 15th century, in which "devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes".[1] Christmas trees were hung in St. George's Church, Sélestat since 1521.[2] It acquired popularity beyond Germany during the second half of the 19th century.[3] The Christmas tree has also been known as the "Yule-tree", especially in discussions of its folkloristic origins.[4][5][6]
Brits maybe, but in my experience foreigners, or as you put it 'non-citizens' love July 4th. Who else but Americans can create a holiday in which you eat, drink all day, and at the end blow stuff up?
1) They should, but they aren't, because Christmas is insecure.
2) Since the Christmas Tree is specific to Christmas it should not be called a Holiday Tree, but the season of all these religious holidays should be called the Holiday Season, the same way an iPod Nano should be called by its name and the grouping should be PMP or Portable Music Player.
That's ridiculous. If you're a Christian House you would call it the Christmas Season, so would you not expect to offend people in the US when talking about the Fourth of July as the date of America's independence.
That's absurd. Every knows Christmas is coming. Why bother hiding it behind a generic term like "holiday." You're not fooling anyone.
Not that Wiki is the most reliable of sources, but I just had to look up what some people have known for years. I personally prefer Yuletide greetings as well.... because it has tide in it and reminds me of surfing on X-mas day '84 (or 85?) in Malibu... :smokey:
The custom of the Christmas tree developed in early modern Germany (where it is today called Weihnachtsbaum or Christbaum) with predecessors that can be traced to the 16th and possibly 15th century, in which "devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes".[1] Christmas trees were hung in St. George's Church, Sélestat since 1521.[2] It acquired popularity beyond Germany during the second half of the 19th century.[3] The Christmas tree has also been known as the "Yule-tree", especially in discussions of its folkloristic origins.[4][5][6]
Sounds about right. I believe It was because the local priest/clergy chopped down a tree pagans (?) were worshipping and in the next year it started growing again. A new birth.
Sounds about right. I believe It was because the local priest/clergy chopped down a tree pagans (?) were worshipping and in the next year it started growing again. A new birth.
As I recall the tree was worshipped because it could stay green year round. It was thought these trees were enchanted/magical. They were decorated, but not chopped down.
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If there is a war on Christmas then it's pretty safe to say that Christmas is winning. It's the biggest holiday of the year and isn't going anywhere.
It's so successful it starts before the US Thanksgiving.
I remember singing about the dreidel in grade school and had no issues with it.
I don't remember even knowing what a dreidel was despite knowing some Jewish kids in my neighborhood and school. We certainly didn't acknowledge Hanukkah at my school.
Did your 'spring break' coincide with Passover? We're you off from school for Yom Kippur, and Rosh Hashanah?
I'm sure it did on occasion but with a public school in a congested state they spread it out so it was from March to May, and I think there was even a first week of June Spring Break before we came back for the last 2 weeks of school.
We also sang the song about a sleeping Friar Jacob aka Frère Jacques.
That's why all religious holidays should be celebrated instead of calling it a generic holiday season. You learn nothing about generic crap.
As a side note, should we stop calling the Fourth of July, Independence Day? It could offend non-citizens or Brits.
I can tell you for a fact that in NYC (or if you ask Jesse Jackson 'hymie town') spring break always coincides with Passover.
1) They should, but they aren't, because Christmas is insecure.
2) Since the Christmas Tree is specific to Christmas it should not be called a Holiday Tree, but the season of all these religious holidays should be called the Holiday Season, the same way an iPod Nano should be called by its name and the grouping should be PMP or Portable Music Player.
That's ridiculous. If you're a Christian House you would call it the Christmas Season, so would you not expect to offend people in the US when talking about the Fourth of July as the date of America's independence.
Considering the high Jewish population relative to other areas that makes sense.
Brits maybe, but in my experience foreigners, or as you put it 'non-citizens' love July 4th. Who else but Americans can create a holiday in which you eat, drink all day, and at the end blow stuff up?
And can we now call you Frosty the Zombie? Because you've surely been bitten by that other music expert and bigot, Dr. "Franken"-Blank who we "thought" was expelled from these parts a ways back... :rolleyes:
I've got a number of American friends living in London and we love celebrating Independence Day. I don't think anyone here is particularly scarred by that memory, though generally we tend to celebrate victories rather than defeats. It's 200 years since Waterloo next Summer!
Not that Wiki is the most reliable of sources, but I just had to look up what some people have known for years. I personally prefer Yuletide greetings as well.... because it has tide in it and reminds me of surfing on X-mas day '84 (or 85?) in Malibu... :smokey:
The custom of the Christmas tree developed in early modern Germany (where it is today called Weihnachtsbaum or Christbaum) with predecessors that can be traced to the 16th and possibly 15th century, in which "devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes".[1] Christmas trees were hung in St. George's Church, Sélestat since 1521.[2] It acquired popularity beyond Germany during the second half of the 19th century.[3] The Christmas tree has also been known as the "Yule-tree", especially in discussions of its folkloristic origins.[4][5][6]
That's absurd. Every knows Christmas is coming. Why bother hiding it behind a generic term like "holiday." You're not fooling anyone.
So why not then call it the Hanukkah Season and have that be used for Christmas and every other religious holiday?
Sounds about right. I believe It was because the local priest/clergy chopped down a tree pagans (?) were worshipping and in the next year it started growing again. A new birth.
Because that would call for way too much gifting.
As I recall the tree was worshipped because it could stay green year round. It was thought these trees were enchanted/magical. They were decorated, but not chopped down.