A frosty debate is playing out in one Tennessee community.
For at least the last three decades, public school students in Tennessee’s Sumner County referred to the December holiday school break as “Winter Break." Last year, the school board abruptly changed the name to “Christmas Break”.
Now, a secular movement to change the name back to “Winter Break” is splitting the community in two, igniting impassioned debate and a new school board vote.
It’s not even Thanksgiving yet. Is the War on Christmas already here?
Winter Break Put on Ice
The vote appears to have been brought up by school board member Wade Evans, who says his constituents felt the pivot last year to “Christmas Break” might feel exclusionary to non-Christian kids. He noted that 16 neighboring counties use secular names for the break, and brought the idea of changing the name back before the school board.
A compromise was even suggested – calling it “Christmas/Winter Break” – which failed.
“It’s not about erasing faith,” said board member Shellie Young Tucker. “It’s not about taking Jesus out of the season. In fact, I’d challenge you to say that it’s the opposite. It’s about recognizing that we are a community. That’s why I moved here. We are a community and we need to care about each other.”
She said that formally using “Christmas” instead of “Winter” can make "families feel invisible, unseen in the very school that their children attend."
Not every board member agreed.
“Would you rather me lie to you or tell the truth?” asked board member Andy Lacy. “Christmas is Christmas, why do we have to worry about offending everybody over the truth? It’s not my intention to offend people, but Christmas is Christmas and why do we have to appease the one percent?”
Christmas Break Remains
After extended discussions, the board voted to keep the “Christmas Break” name.
The decision no doubt left some community members disappointed. Schools have a legal obligation not to endorse one faith over another, though there is plenty of wiggle room in that requirement – and not everyone agrees that naming a school break "Christmas" crosses the line.
But when it comes to keeping schools secular, should public opinion matter?
Local news outlet FOX17 asked readers if they agreed with the board’s decision to keep Christmas Break on the calendar, rather than change it to Winter Break – and a whopping 84% of voters agreed.
What is your reaction? Does the use of the word Christmas constitute an endorsement of Christianity? And do schools have an obligation to represent religious minorities?
61 comments
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Kelly Denise McLean-Haywood
Christinas Break is what it is. I refuse to call it something other than that. I will not ever stop calling it what it is. It's been Christmas for my entire life and will remain just that as long as I live.
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Amy Varela
If we really want to keep it originally spiritual, it should be called the Solstice Break. It's the Solstice all over the world, not only in the northern hemisphere. And it happens to everyone, not just religious people. Summer break, Winter break, Spring break. How about throwing in a Autumn break? Of just Solstice and Equinox breaks? Make it accessible to everyone.
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Avram Yehoshua
Linda commented: "changing the name excludes those who don't celebrate this particular holiday." The reason "for the break" is because Christians were given "off" for Xmas. There is no logistical reason for a "winter break." That's why it was called a Xmas break before any of this nonsense arose about "others being excluded from this particular holiday." Hey, you can celebrate it if you want! No Christian will deny you : ) Even Jews took/take off for Xmas break, but if you don't want to, you can send your kids to the school to make snowmen outside…as the teachers, all the teachers, will be off for Xmas break. Also, Christianity is the dominant religion in the USA, and people and institutions revolve around it. It's not for religious reasons that schools close…all schools (cept perhaps Muslim and satanic), it's for practical reasons: no Christian parents would send their kids to school on the day they wrongly teach that Jesus was born. Such "steam" from those who want "religious (read secular) freedom." They read the Constitution very wrong: it's not about religion not being taught in schools; it's about the USA taking a religion and making it a national religion; like Britain did over the centuries, with Catholicism/Anglicanism and Protestantism, and in doing so, heads literally rolled. It's not about keeping names like Xmas off of Xmas break. Also, as for Dr. Z, who had no real feelings for saying the pledge of allegiance, he doesn't realize that all the signers of the Dec of Indy were Christians, and their ideas came from the Jewish-Christian Bible, and men and women have given their lives. It seems his teachers were remiss in presenting the history of the USA and what it meant to say the Pledge.
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Leslie A. Hulberg Née Tomasura
But it will be winter on December 21st. Prior to this “Christian Holiday.” I don’t know the laws in the UK regarding issues such as these. But in the United States of America, it very clearly states that one religion cannot be put above the others. Since this is such a diverse country made up of immigrants from around the world, it only seems proper to not offend those who celebrate a different tradition around this season. Some people celebrate Kwanzaa, Yule, Boxing Day, Ōmisoka, Hanukkah, Diwali, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Krampusnacht, Shalako Festival, etc. So to call it Winter Break seems the fairest way. That way no one’s religious affiliation is held above the others.
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Leslie A. Hulberg Née Tomasura
But it will be winter on December 21st. Prior to this “Christian Holiday.” I don’t know the laws in the UK regarding issues such as these. But in the United States of America, it very clearly states that one religion cannot be put above the others. Since this is such a diverse country made up of immigrants from around the world, it only seems proper to not offend those who celebrate a different tradition around this season. Some people celebrate Kwanzaa, Yule, Boxing Day, Ōmisoka, Hanukkah, Diwali, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Krampusnacht, Shalako Festival, etc. So to call it Winter Break seems the fairest way. That way no one’s religious affiliation is held above the others.
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Leslie A. Hulberg Née Tomasura
Well, since not everyone is “Christian” it seems very obvious that in order to not put one religion above the others (since that’s what it says in the Constitution of the United States of America, I believe we must call it “Winter Break” in the public schools. But in the home, the churches or in the Christian church sponsored private schools, it may be referred to as “Christmas Break.”
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Julia B. Smith
It should be “Winter Break”. “Christmas Break” excludes non-Christians. Inclusion, not exclusion should be our goal; anything else would be, well, unchristian! 🤭
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Linda L Noel-Duquesnel
As a few have already said, changing the name excludes those who don't celebrate this particular holiday. I'm 62, and no matter what school system I have dealt with, it has always been referred to as "Winter Break." It sounds as though this particular school system wants to incorporate their faith beliefs into their school system, kind of like, if they can't get prayer in the classroom, this is the next best thing to get a foot in the door...so to speak. If people let this "little thing" slide, what's next, putting crosses up in the classrooms, having bibles available, etc. until it gets to the point that the classroom is now a "Christian" classroom with no room for all the other faiths that are practiced in this country, and by then there's nothing anyone can do... It doesn't matter what faith people have, what it comes down to is this country was not created on Christianity (as many mistakingly believe), and it shouldn't be shoved down everyone's throat as the ONLY faith belief system. I have absolutely no problem with people believing in what they want, but in the "Melting Pot" that is America, no one religious system should not have supreme reign over all the others. JMHO, it should be left at "Winter Break."
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Scott Smith
With all the important things going on out there, some of which are life threatening, do we really need to discuss this trivial matter?
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Steven Leroy Molburg
Scott, Thank you for stating what should be obvious. You can call it winter break, others can call it Holiday Break, I’ll call it Christmas Break. Let’s use our energies to talk about things that really matter.
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Steven Ferrell
Wonder how many of those not wanting it called Christmas break, celebrate Christmas?
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Julia B. Smith
I celebrate Christmas. I also believe in the right of others to celebrate whatever they want. I wouldn’t want others pushing their beliefs on me, and that’s actually why the Puritans came here; they wanted freedom to worship as they chose. It’s about respect.
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Roy S. Thorpe
We are raising a nation of children! Child like people who can't cope with the reality of life! Christmas meaning a season not the religious connotation! A general term ! Get over it already!
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Druid Brandon O'Malley
But Christmas isn't a season. Winter is. Kwanzaa, Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule. All four of these holidays occur during December. It is not Christmas, it is Winter/Holiday season. And as a matter of fact it's not Christmas break it's Yule break considering Christmas takes place a few days after the winter solstice, and Yule happens on the winter solstice. But because we are being secular, students have winter break because they vacation after the winter solstice. The season is not Christmas, it is winter. Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are during autumn, but occur within the holiday season. It's time we actually start teaching people the truth behind our holidays, including children. Christmas didn't exist until the Christians brought it in, it was always Yule first. This is not a Christian season, it is a holiday season. It is a winter season. Christmas is a holiday celebrated by Christians and other who celebrated because it's just been marketed that way. So if we're going to be getting into semantics here, it is not Christmas as a season because Christmas is not a season, it is a holiday. It is technically Winter or Yule. Hanukkah ends after the winter solstice, which means after Yule begins. Christmas is on December 25, right in the middle of Yule. So instead of lying to children, let's tell them the truth. The season isn't Christmas, it is winter, or the holidays.
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William Moses
The fact that it has been winter break and now it’s being requested to change it to Christmas break is the problem. Had it always been Christmas break and somebody was arguing to make it winter break, then one might say that tradition should prevail because it has been accepted all along. But this is very different. This is the Christian right trying to inject itself into our society. For that reason alone, it’s wrong.
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Ari Joseph Bertine
Public institutions have an obligation to follow Constitutional rules about not endorsing a specific religion. "Winter" is secular and Constitutionally appropriate. "Christmas" is religious and not Constitutionally appropriate. No one is saying Christians can't have Christmas during their winter break. This is equity. Complaining about equity is un-American.
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Frank J Siwy III
Really? What a farce!!! Why is Christmas not “constitutionally” appropriate? The constitution says separation of Church and State, meaning the State cannot rule over a church and create a national religion. What the season is called is a worthless argument!!!!! This is MY OPINION!
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Br. Joshua
Funny how every "minister" here seems to be here purely as an affront to Christians and Christianity!
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Br. Joshua
Absolutely nobody is surprised that the church appeased the conquered pagans by choosing to celebrate the birth of Christ on Sol Invictus day. But what might be surprising to most people is knowing that by the Law of the land, the Constitution, America is and always was only for White land owning Christians, so Merry Christmas, because that's the only holiday that matters in America at this time of year! May Jesus bless you!
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Paul Raymond Smulian
When I worked for the US Government I asked this question in an EEO class. The answer stunned me. The US Government views December 25th as a legal holday and NOT a religious holiday. I was stunned!
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Rev Ned
As the Bard wrote, Much Ado About Nothing.
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Deborah Jane Vogel
Agreed! Calling time off “Winter Break” in no way impedes or prevents someone from continuing to follow the practices of their chosen faith during that time off.
Winter Break is for everyone. Do what you want to during that time, whatever your faith or even if you don’t identify with a faith. I plan to continue going to church on Sundays and to mass on Christmas Eve. I will continue to study the Bible and the writings of theologians, religious leaders, and the Dalai Lama at home. You are welcome to join me or to follow your own faith’s practice, or no practice at all.
Christians have no right to hijack the winter break for public schools and/ or universities by stamping it with the very specific religious reference of “Christmas”. If you attend a Christian-based private school then, fine, call it Christmas Break. If you attend a Yeshiva, call it Hanukkah Break. But if you are a public institution, don’t assume it’s ok to dismiss, place less value on, or disrespect the practices of those who are not Christian or Jewish. Isn’t that what American democracy is all about?
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Patricia Ann Gross
Not only does the holiday have Pagan roots, the holiday has become more of secular holiday than a religious one, considering that decorations started coming out before Halloween, and every retail establishment bets their entire year's revenue on "holiday" shopping. Considering that the "Christmas break includes New Year's Day, why not "holiday break which gives credence to both the religious and secular holidays during those [roughly] two and a half weeks? If that doesn't work Winter Break works just as well.
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
Interesting, isn’t it, that Communist-atheistic China, makes enough money selling X-Mass stuff to predominantly Christian USA’ns, to fund its current military buildup until it’s the most formidable military organization on Earth. Instead of categorizing the USA funding the cost of China quickly becoming the #1 military on Earth, as interesting, make it ironic, which indeed it is. Call it “Christianicide” if you will.
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
As far as l know, I’m the only ULC minister who actually has a provable God — however the only provable God (very Nature in its universal entirety) never had a “one and only son” and has existed “without any beginning, nor an end, forever and ever” amen. Our Secular Humanist Pantheist congregation (under the ULC umbrella) celebrates Nature’s Birthday for our particular solar system, on December 21st — which some others celebrate as “Solstice Day” so this is in no way, a religious day, but a tribute to Nature for the evolution which is how Nature works. The upcoming year will be 4,540,172,026 — so those who want everyone to share X-Mass, as the only proper way to celebrate anything, personify arrogance, which is the anthesis of democracy.
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Rev. Mike Eggleston
My family always refer to it as the Yule break, the time to celebrate Yule.
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Reverend Paula Copp
Blessed Yule! If we’re going to get technical about it, the pagans started the whole thing. (Of course, I’m a pagan witch so I may be biased…
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Colleen McAllister
Either one is fine by ne. There is a larger secular celebration of Christmas than a religious one. The word Christmas is actually Catholic, Christ's Mass. As a Baptist that does not offend me. It has become a secular word. One that I have used for 70 years so am not going to change now. Since several holidays are celebrated during this time Winter break actually covers them all. BTW holiday is a religious word it self. Holy Day.
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Dorothy Hawkins
The Christians may be surprised to know that "their" holiday has its roots in pagan beliefs and customs from antiquity: Here's a link to learn more: the unexpected pagan origins of popular christmas traditions https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-unexpected-pagan-origins-of-popular-christmas-traditions/
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Dorothy Hawkins
The Christians may be surprised to know that "their" holiday has its roots in pagan beliefs and customs from antiquity: Here's a link to learn more: the unexpected pagan origins of popular christmas traditions https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-unexpected-pagan-origins-of-popular-christmas-traditions/
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Some might be surprised. A lot of them don’t read.
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Rev. Donut
So?
A lot of people around the world don't read or write even their own language.
Who cares. That's not a question. That's a comment.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
My response to D Hawkins was directed toward her observation that ‘xtians may ge surprised to know….’. I agree, ‘many’ are surprised to know because they are ignorant and lack even basic the knowledge most people pick up over the course of their secondary education, much less the fact that they have missed out on any further education past being given how to operate/clean the deep fat fryer at McDonald’s.
Now as for your own comment, “That not a question, it’s a comment.” I will say two things: 1- Goodness! You’re correct! I’m guessing you simply noticed the lack of a question mark at the end rather than have groked that the sentence structure in both my sentences lacked the usual format of an interrogative sentence.
2- Regardless , you have a penchant for the obvious. Do you often interject yourself into a conversation with a random statement of fact such as ‘My parents took me to a psychiatrist when I was young.’ or ‘I really like dinosaurs!’?
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Joseph Grieco
Wait until they find out the Lambing season (when Shepherds would be out with their flocks at night in 1st Century CE Judea) isn't in December. It's in the Spring!
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
The entire religion is a hodgepodge of pagan beliefs and rituals. Nothing new to see here, move along.
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Rev. BH
Since "Christ" is a title and not a name, we could rename the winter celebration Mistermass, or KIngmass, or Kahunamass, or CEOmass, etc. to avoid religious connotations.
Or If you want to get really traditional, Yule came first. Happy Yule Y'all!
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Joseph Grieco
Yep. It wasn't his name. Christ is the anglicized version of Chrystos, Koine for mashiach - anointed one. All kings of Israel and Judea of the line of David and Solomon were referred to as Ha-mashiach - "The Anointed".
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Robin Anne Hannon
It doesn't matter to me. A rose by any other name etc. Winter Break, Holiday Break, everyone knows it's Christmas so no need for that repetition, but nothing wrong with it either. I'm not Christian by heritage, but as a biblical scholar I studied it. There are some pretty neat parallels between that and Judaism, but I digress.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
This just goes to show you Christians are members of a cult. In the US we have renamed several holidays to reflect the changes in society. We decided decades ago to call it Winter Break to accommodate ALL Americans. Once again this is the Christians who are force their religion on others.
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Rev. Donut
If you want to say Christians are a cult, OK.
I don't care.
And the holiday in the winter is Christmas and we say "Merry Christmas"
So?
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Druid Brandon O'Malley
Actually Yule comes before Christmas. Always has and always will. Yule literally celebrates the winter solstice.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
The only difference between a cult and a religion is the number of members.
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obere mchugh
actually, long before christmas, there has been and always will be the winter solstice. the shortest day of the year. and the rebirth of the sun.
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Nicholas J Page
Here in England it's Christmas break and it's been going on for centuries it's not even winter yet. Leave traditions alone Go back to Christmas break or holidays
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Robert you are right. Christmas in the US was and always has been been about the commercialization of the holiday and making as much money as possible for the Church and businesses.
The story of Christmas is not like Columbus at all. We know the exact dates of Columbuses voyages. Where he traveled and what he did. The Christmas story of Jesus was made-up in the 11th century to get people to attend church at the beginning of winter. We know that this is a lie, and every since the Christians have continued to tell the lie and embellished it every year ever since.
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Rev. BH
Not exactly, Douglas. The Christians simply co-opted existing pagan holidays (occurring on the quarter and cross-quarter days) because it was easier than throwing their new holidays on any old dates. "Look you pagans, you can still celebrate your ancient festivals when you always did, but now with ALL NEW NAMES!"
Saturnalia in December really needed an updating from it's party time roots, another reason for Christians to plop ascetic white Jesus on top of rowdy, robust Saturn.
Look up quarter and cross-quarter days - very cool info.
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Joseph Grieco
It's also the "birthday" of Mithras and Sol Invictus (the Conquering Sun) - two of the more popular deities of the late 3rd/early 4th Centuries CE. Even though his mother, St. Helena, was a Christian, and he legalized Christianity (as long as it followed what Eusebius taught - all others were heretics and subject to legal prosecution) in the Empire, Emperor Constantine remained a worshiper of Sol Invictus until his deathbed conversion to Christianity.
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ServantOfJudgement
I extensively researched the origins of the end of December break. It's harder than you might think and simultaneously evolved in other countries like England.
What I found might be had to believe but the reason the break started was because it's a Christmas break. Crazy I know. It's no coincidence that it's centered on Christmas. It's actually by design.
Christmas break is literally Christmas break.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Seems like to move is to say ‘Nuh uh’ and call it winter break. It was called winter break when I was in college back in the early 70s.
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Joseph Grieco
Different colleges, different practices. I attended a school that was originally founded by the Methodist Church, and the Chancellor when I attended was the first one who was not an ordained Methodist Elder. We called it Christmas Break, even in the Jewish Fraternity I belonged to.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Wow! So a school founded by a xtian called it xmas break. Go figure.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
They’re just happy holidays.
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Echo
Call it winter break. Yule, christmas, hanukkah, or whichever holiday you are celebrating, go and enjoy. It is still winter, so winter break. One faith doesn't decide for all, so have courtesy not to force people to call it your holiday while someone else celebrate something different.
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Robert Gagnon
Here we go again, a few people don't like to hear the word most used for the last few centuries. Christmas in grade school since I can remember was not Jesus focused as much as the commercialization of the holiday. These same kids would feel excluded in every store, elevator, and radio station. These kind of complaints brought in the Xmas to remove the Christ component. Everywhere they look is Christmas for the month of December. Christmas is based on a story, no different from the story of Columbus. Black Friday sounds much more menacing, should we call it post pilgrim sale day?
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Christ, Jesus and all that religious nonsense SHOULD be removed from ALL government related matters. Just doesn’t belong in government. As a consolation they could have a special holiday for those that object called Go Pound Sand Day.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
And it’s not a few, it’s a really large number. It's a beautifully large number, the biggest you have ever seen.
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Robert Gagnon
It must be really frustrating to use cash that says God we trust on it. Nothing changes as far as everywhere else you'll see Christmas celebrated. Oh the overt offense.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Not really frustrating, but a bit annoying. It wasn’t on there originally. That’s because the United States is not founded on Christianity. It’s the same with adding ‘under God’ into the pledge of allegiance. I mouthed it, but I never really felt anything for it as a child. And once I understood what it was, then it hit, too, was an annoyance. I don’t subscribe to the idea of gangs written, large known as countries. There’s a country of my birth, but my allegiance to it is dependent upon what I’m expected to do. I don’t blindly do stuff for the country. The country found that out back in the 70s when they decided to throw a party in Vietnam and had problems with attendance.
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Pastor George Day
Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
What nonsense!
That’s like claiming the sports section doesn’t cover football!
Some folks will twist themselves into pretzels just to keep their self-delusions intact!
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Exactly what in my comment is nonsense?
The US was not founded on xtianity. Jefferson even stated his disdain of the xtian religion.
‘In God We Trust’ was NOT originally on US currency. It was added in the 1950s. Meant to build up animosity toward the growing gang of ‘godless communists’ to justify obscenely large funding of the military.
I don’t blindly support any country and the US wasn’t going to drag my ass to Viet Nam.
I see no nonsense, much less delusions.
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What a ridiculous thing to argue about in a school board meeting! Everyone can agree it is Winter, not everyone is Christian. I celebrate Yule and Jews Hanukah. Meanwhile, Does the Board have anything better to do?