Christmas is a very important Christian festival, and of course is marked in Educate Together schools nationwide; just as our schools mark Diwali, Eid, Vaisakhi and other religious festivals throughout the school term.
On a practical level, Christmas celebrations in Educate Together schools can be a sensitive issue, because for many families in Ireland celebrating Christmas has a huge cultural significance. This cultural dynamic compels our school principals to attempt to strike a balance between celebrating Christmas, and taking care not to give it dominance over other religious festivals.
Many Educate Together schools host annual Festivals of Lights, Seasonal Get Togethers and Winter Fairs. These are inclusive celebrations that incorporate elements of Christmas, Hanukkah and the Winter Solstice as well as other belief systems and philosophical convictions. Religious aspects of these festivities are approached from a learning perspective, rather than from a promotional perspective. At the heart of these celebrations is the principle that all members of the school community are welcome and equally respected.
