Oh Craft, All Ye Faithful

"As our school community continues to grow, we welcome more families who do not celebrate Christmas. It is our belief that these students deserve the opportunity to take part in the concert experience, too."

A fine declaration of open inclusion and welcome. But what occurred was not an invitation to the non-Christian component of the community to attend and take part in the concert experience, but to cancel it entirely. In favour of what was seen as a more 'inclusive' type of activity that would focus instead on a holiday-themed craft night. This is a small, rural school of 206 students, with a handful of new arrivals who are not of the Christian faith.

Now, there's an unseasonal, un-Christian and unnecessary decision made on behalf of political correctness guaranteed to upset an entire community. And it is absurdly unnecessary. There is no explicable reason on Earth why a majority-community must sacrifice its traditions that have become such an integral and joyous part of its culture simply to attempt to placate a newly-arrived minority community with an overtly-excessive attempt at neutering itself to appear tolerant.

There are some traditions in Western societies that are so integral to the well-being and cohesion of society that they should be respected as such. That social and political sensitivities are seen to be required in recognition of the fact that there are in most communities now, groups who do not share the same religion and the same festive customs is to a certain extent, admirable.

But not to the extent that the majority population is expected to surrender this custom of a dark and wintry season that has the effect of lightening winter-time moods and that creates an aura of excitement and happiness for their children. The decision by Cambridge Public School principal Mhairi Rowland, in Embrum, Ontario, to cancel its annual Christmas concert was a truly unfortunate one.

It has upset area parents, who have, in the past, looked forward to the customary school concert to launch their own Christmas festivities. It was prized as a local event that embraced the community and exuded cheer and the pleasures of a community coming together in celebratory mode. No one need feel excluded during such events. Conventionally, before the current era of uber-sensitivity, society's non-Christian minorities revelled in the aura of the season, as well.

It has generally been concluded that although this was initiated as a festive event in celebration of the historical religious celebration of the birth of Christ, the festivities themselves had broadened through societal interpretation as an inclusionary one, a widely-accepted social event hat had the effect of gladdening people, with its colourful decorations, sublime music, and child-centered focus. There was an emphasis not only on gift-giving, but charitable gift-giving.

One needn't be considered a 'traditionalist' to bemoan this decision that will deprive area children of a prized event that would bring in their parents, their friends and extended family to initiate a seasonal celebration.