Happy Eid

[muminbrum]

Schools tend to be tolerant of the need for days off for holidays. My Spanish friend is allowed to take her kids out of school for Jan 6th and DS2 has Muslim friends who have the day off for Eid.

Paramjeet - you need a career change to a 24/7 job like doctor, nurse, paramedic, petrol station operative etc - then you would have no trouble swapping your holidays with your Christian colleagues

[moseleymum]

And yes, children should be part of the slaughter process. When they mature then they can cut. The sensitivity should be eradicated at an early age. Life is not all Walt Disney.

What do want to cultivate by eradicating the sensitivity at an early age?

How about teaching children about compassion and respect towards defenceless animals?

Totally agree, I want to maintain my children's compassion for as long as possible thank you. The children and adults with no sensitivity are the ones who should worry us. Yes they saw the Qurbani but in a proper setting so they were not afraid, and it hasn't put them off meat which might be the case if it was done without sensitivity.

Although we show our children the world, theres nothing wrong with their life being Walt Disney at this age, they will grow up and learn soon enough that it isn't...

I used to always work Christmas, my DH always does. The Christmas Day/Boxing Day bank holidays are quite well paid if you work, so its a win win for Muslims who work and Christians who wish to celebrate with their families. The children's schools are fine with them being off school for Eid when it falls in term time.

[UmSusu]

Happy Robot, actually schools DO give holidays for Eid and other religious holidays when requested as they, rightly so, acknowledge that they would be impeding people of other faiths to celebrate important events in their lives and practice their faith if they did otherwise. I am glad that they have this policy as I for one would not like/allow having my children's education in the hands of people who had uncompromising attitudes.

I totally agree. Where do you stop.. Holidays for hindus, Jews, Jains, Sikhs...

....and why not, echoes? If you can a day off to go to the dentist then why not be able to take a day off for more important reasons In Egypt, the Coptic Christians are the minority and they take off all their religious holidays - it is hardly going to bring the economy to a standstill, is it?

School days off should definitely be automatic, but..

Just don't get me started on being forced to take Xmas off when Eid Hols are taken out of annual leave if it falls on a weekday..

.....work days off are a different matter and both both parties should be prepared to negotiate according to circumstance. Whilst it would be great to be able to swap the Christmas holiday with your own religious holiday, it may not always be possible as Christmas day is a national holiday and I can't see how a boss would or should swap days if coming into work during a national holiday would mean there is really no work to be done - I guess it depends what industry you are in. Some bosses are more than grateful if you offer to swap.


Completely agree with you bromleymum and moseleymum : DH is the only Muslim consultant in his NHS Trust - I can't tell you how popular he becomes in the run-up to Christmas as he agrees to cover some of the days off and on-calls. Everyone is happy to return the favour when the time comes.

Now that I have got all that off my chest, I would just caution that this thread was started as a message of good-will to all those that are celebrating and I think that has been achieved now. However, there also seems to have appeared an undercurrent of not-so-good-will in the way some messages have been presented. I am sure those who celebrate have appreciated and got the message and those who don't are probably just wishing this thread would now start to make its way further down the list as its time has passed.

It is not up to me, but I suggest we now put this thread to rest whilst we are all still friends and take up any tit-for-tat debate via pm. I am sorry but whilst I love a good passionate debate, conflict just makes me all 'aaarrrgghhhhh '.

UmSusu

[vasu]

I grew up in India. We have holidays for every religious holiday barring no religion. Hence the abundance of holidays....I wonder how any work gets done. . As a child I have celebrated Eid andChristmas with the same enthusiasm as Diwali. I am a Hindu.
Eid Mubarak!

[Paramjeet]

You're right umsusu; I will start a more relevant topic.

Debate is healthy and there is no right or wrong.

[Etienne]

I would just caution that this thread was started as a message of good-will to all those that are celebrating and I think that has been achieved now. However, there also seems to have appeared an undercurrent of not-so-good-will in the way some messages have been presented. I am sure those who celebrate have appreciated and got the message and those who don't are probably just wishing this thread would now start to make its way further down the list as its time has passed ..... I suggest we now put this thread to rest whilst we are all still friends

You're right umsusu

Moderators would agree too.
UmSusu's well-judged post brings this topic of goodwill to a natural conclusion.

Eid Mubarak!