Year 6 have been exploring the theme that Christians believe that Jesus was prophesied as the Messiah in the Bible. His birth was foretold to happen in Bethlehem, and Christians believe he came to reunite people with God after the Fall. This event became the focus of the celebration of Christmas. However, many people choose to celebrate Christmas in other ways such as: visiting Santa’s grotto, eating mince pies and giving gifts. This lead us to pose the question: Is Christmas a religious or secular event?

We discussed the theme and discovered:

• 91% of people in Britain celebrate Christmas.
• 87% exchange gifts.
• 81% get together with friends and family.
• 77% put up and decorate a Christmas tree.
• Only 20% go to church.
• Only 16% reflect on the birth of Jesus.

While fewer people include church or reflection in their celebrations, we noticed that many traditions still have religious roots:

• Giving gifts – like the Wise Men gave to Jesus.
• Lights and stars – reminding us of the star that guided the way.

Year 6 created balanced arguments and agreed that however people choose to celebrate Christmas, it is a time to show generosity, kindness, and togetherness.