On Being Respectful

{Really?! It was two years ago? Link to previous post}

I like Christmas and all of the other end of the year holidays. But, and I don't talk about this often, I'm not religious. Never was. My mother tried, bless her heart, but it didn't take. I suppose it didn't help matters that I asked too many questions that the people around me couldn't answer.

Strangely enough, my own lack of religion didn't stop me from promoting Christmas with the students at school. Until last fall-- something clicked for me during a school holiday discussion with @SalemRebekah. I realized that by reading Christmas stories to the wee folk that I was being disrespectful of the different beliefs of the children and their families. That I was promoting the mindset that "my way is the only way". Thanks to @SalemRebekah I began a search for children's books about sharing, caring and giving, because that is the central core at the heart of the holiday season. Plus, sharing, caring and giving, are cross cultural and (hopefully) not offensive to anyone's beliefs.

Here I am, another holiday season and yet another new-to-me teacher to work with. I'm struggling with whether to share my year old epiphany with her, or to just roll with it. I tried to discuss it with another friend/coworker last year, but ended up running head long into the attitude that some people are trying to destroy Christmas. {sigh}

Is it wrong to roll with it or does it make me complicit with the very attitudes I'm trying to escape?
{sigh}
Oh, and are gingerbread men generic enough for all?

Book list I have to date:
One Smile
Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed
The Mitten Tree
Ribbon Rescue
A Circle of Friends
My Most Favorite Thing
The Giant Hug
Nico and Lola
The Carpenter's Gift