Author Topic: Does Your Local Council Embrace Christmas?  (Read 3210 times)

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Offline Scunner

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Does Your Local Council Embrace Christmas?
« on: November 09, 2013, 18:24:31 PM »
Again inspired by another topic, I wondered if people's local authorities avoid the "C word" and go for Winter illuminations and the like, or whether this is all tabloid tripe...

For us, Perth & Kinross Council do talk of winter celebrations but have no problem in using the word "Christmas". Muslims up here might be offended, but I doubt it  :)

http://www.pkc.gov.uk/article/7407/Get-involved-in-Perths-biggest-ever-city-centre-winter-celebration



Offline johntaylor49

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Re: Does Your Local Council Embrace Christmas?
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2013, 12:04:16 PM »
That is what I like to see --- none of this Christmas Humbug! (OMG I used the "C" word!) just a good old traditionally religious Winter Festival! I guess they don't want to offend the Druids?

Actually I don't really care very much, just love the banter on here  :)

Offline WordBird

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Re: Does Your Local Council Embrace Christmas?
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2013, 12:15:49 PM »
They certainly use the 'C' word when badgering us business-owners non-stop for contributions towards the Christmas lights from around mid-May!!

I will be keeping a closer eye than usual on exactly what format is used this year, thanks to this forum!   ;)

Offline Colwyn

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Re: Does Your Local Council Embrace Christmas?
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2013, 13:35:38 PM »
Again inspired by another topic, I wondered if people's local authorities avoid the "C word" and go for Winter illuminations and the like, or whether this is all tabloid tripe...
It is tabloid tripe but it is not just that.

It is email tripe, and BNP/EDL tripe and other kinds of tripe which rolls itself it to a huge urban myth when combined with other stuff such as "Our local council doesn't let us celebrate St George's Day" and "Our local council doesn't let us fly the the Flag of St George." What is pernicious about this tripe is not so much that hate-mongers invent it but that a large number of people are so eager to be offended by some outrage or another that they greedily lap up such tripe and continue to circulate these urban myths.

It is a good job the season of goodwill is just around the corner or I could get quite tetchy.

Offline johntaylor49

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Re: Does Your Local Council Embrace Christmas?
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2013, 13:52:11 PM »
I can highly recommend Tripe Curry if nobody has ever tried it? I like it almost as much as sheeps brain curry, delightful, looks and texture a little like white fish, sort of like large Cod.

St George a bit of a dubious one anyway, Dragon slayer? Dint think so, wasn't he actually from what is Palestine today, and was a Roman Tribune? (general) and as far as I know didn't even know where England was? How about St. Bede or St. Cuthbert --- nice ring to it -- St. Cuthberts day!


Offline kevin3

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Re: Does Your Local Council Embrace Christmas?
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2013, 16:40:27 PM »
I can't speak for other parts of the UK but in Birmingham in 1997 the Council (Labour at the time)
tried to impose Winterval on it's citizens "to promote inclusion".There was a huge outcry,both locally
and nationally and the following year it was dumbed right down but was still much derided and it
never appeared again.It was much more than an urban myth.Traditional public illuminations (snowmen,
xmas pud's,father christmas,sleighs and reindeer ect) were replaced with obscure flashes and shooting
stars,which still feature today.In ethnical dominated areas of the city huge illuminated signs were erected
across the roads at the borders of these areas proclaiming "Welcome to Lozells" "Welcome to Handsworth"
ect, but not in "other" areas.
I have Pakistani and Indian friends that celebrate Christmas and their kids love it as it's another reason
for presents.!
It was just another instance of "The Authorities" trying to impose their will and idiology on others.

Offline Colwyn

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Re: Does Your Local Council Embrace Christmas?
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2013, 17:02:19 PM »
There we go, even kevin3 (who I guess lives in Birmingham) fell for the notorious "Winterval" myth. This myth was sponsored mostly by The Daily Mail who took many years before they retracted the claim - and then did so very bad grace and refused to accept any responsibility themselves for perpetrating this falsehood.
On 8 November 2011 The Daily Mail issued a correction after using the term 'Winterval' in an article it ran on 26 September 2011, stating:

 <blockquote> Winterval was the collective name for a season of public events, both religious and secular, which took place in Birmingham in 1997 and 1998. We are happy to make clear that Winterval did not rename or replace Christmas.</blockquote>


Of course, the only reason they had to make this clear (which caused them happiness) was that they had circulated the tripe in the first place. Why were people so keen to believe this Winterval tripe? Is it just that they were/are gullible or something more sinister?

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/nov/08/winterval-modern-myth-christmas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winterval


Offline kevin3

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Re: Does Your Local Council Embrace Christmas?
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2013, 17:19:22 PM »
Colwyn
Google Birmingham Councils Winterval and check out Wikipedia.
I havn't been on your Pink Elephant pills.I'm one of the silly
buggers that have had to fund this stupidity through my council
taxes.Money that would be better spent protecting vunerable
kids in the city.
 

Offline Colwyn

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Re: Does Your Local Council Embrace Christmas?
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2013, 17:32:05 PM »
The DM quote I gave was from Wikipedia which is one of the two links I posted.

Offline kevin3

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Re: Does Your Local Council Embrace Christmas?
« Reply #9 on: November 11, 2013, 18:08:42 PM »
Yes I noticed that you had amended you previous post.It was a blatant attempt
to try to change the name of the end of year holiday to Winterval and it didn't work
so it was quietly dropped.
Around the same time a Labour guy was elected as Lord Mayor.His wife escorted him
on his civic duties and was provided with a translator as she couldn't speak english.
She had only lived in the UK for 28 YEARS.!! Guess who picked up the cost of the translator
for one year.Now thats inclusion.
l




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