Christian tradition disappearing from school Christmas celebrations

Families decide on children's attendance at school events

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By Jorma Erkkilä
     
      The arranging of Christmas parties usually goes smoothly in Helsinki's schools, in spite of the increasingly diverse religious backgrounds of the pupils. Celebrations are now organised in such a way that they can also be attended by the children of families with an Islamic religious background or those adhering to other minority faiths.
      According to the current curriculum, the Christmas pageant at the end of the winter term is not a religious gathering, but a celebration linked to the calendar year. It concentrates on mainly on the Finnish Yuletide traditions with the seasonal songs and games, says consultant Sari Vahtera of the City of Helsinki's Education Department.
      "Christmas church services for schools have a [Christian] religious content, and for this reason the children of Islamic background are provided with alternative events during these."
     
Schools follow the Education Department's guidelines and provide parents and carers with information on the content of celebrations, on the basis of which they can decide whether their children take part.
      "Most of the children of Muslim families take part in the school Christmas events, and their parents are also present. All the same, it has to be remembered that some might take offence at them."
     
In Vantaa, the practice varies from school to school, but broadly speaking the line has been that all the religious content is in the church services, and the school celebrations are devoid of an overt religious component, says consulting teacher Marjut Päivärinta from the Vantaa Education Unit.
      "If the school party contains the Christmas Gospel texts, then this part of the proceedings is done first. At this point those not belonging to Christian faiths are outside, and then subsequently come into the hall and bring their own greetings."
      "As well as the Muslims, the Jehovah's Witnesses and those pupils who do not attend religious instruction lessons at school [substituting Ethics classes for R.I.] do not want the Christianity-based content. The Jehovah's Witnesses refuse to take part in anything that contains the word "Christmas", since the denomination does not celebrate the birth of Christ."
      According to Päivärinta, Vantaa has had good experiences of the activity days arranged for young pupils at the same time as the schools' Christmas celebrations. Muslims and Jehovah's Witnesses have had no qualms about taking part in these.
     
A common end-of-term Christmas celebration is held for all pupils at the Myllypuro Secondary School in Helsinki. The Assistant Principal Arja Broms says that where necessary teachers discuss the content of the party with the Muslim pupils and their parents.
      "The Christmas celebration has never produced problems. The Muslim children are often involved, taking an active part in performing. During the school church service we arrange an alternative programme for them", notes Broms.
     
At the Herttoniemi Elementary School, again in Helsinki, there are a good many children of immigrant backgrounds, and this fact is taken into account in planning the Christmas gathering.
      "There are no hymns and no Christmas Gospel readings at the school's celebration. The event is suitable for all-comers and usually everyone also takes part", reports Principal Ritva Salminen.
      This year it will be the 3rd-graders and 5th-graders who will primarily be in action on the stage.
      The programme will include Santa Claus's adventures around the world in a play written and put on by the pupils of 5B.
     
Helsinki's daycare centres and kindergartens follow the same principles as in the schools. Seppo Sarras, responsible for early learning programmes at the City of Helsinki's Social Services Department, says he does not know of any problems that have arisen.
      "The kindergarten staff discuss the day's programme with the parents, and as a general rule, all the children take part in the celebrations. Then again, in daycare centres, attendance at things like the Christmas pageant is not compulsory in the same way as with corresponding school events."
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 10.12.2005

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JORMA ERKKILÄ / Helsingin Sanomat
jorma.erkkila@hs.fi