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Christmas Celebrations In Oxford Renamed Winter Light Festival

Fri, 07 Nov 2008

Council officials in Oxford have decided to ban the word Christmas from this year's festive celebrations in order to make it more 'inclusive'.

The council-funded charity Oxford Inspires has renamed the festive period the 'Winter Light Festival' to include all religious denominations.

The charity has also confirmed that the city centre will not be treated to the traditional Christmas lights switch-on either. The usual illuminations in Oxford will be replaced with a 25-metre mobile of lanterns in the shape of the solar system.

But religious leaders have criticised the decision which has also been branded as 'ludicrous' by the town’s residents.

Sabir Hussain Mirza, chairman of the Muslim Council of Oxford, said: "Christians, Muslims and other religions all look forward to Christmas. I'm angry and very, very disappointed. Christmas is special and we shouldn't ignore it."

He added: "Christian people should be offended and 99 per cent of people will be against this. Christmas is part of being British."

Rabbi Eli Bracknell, who teaches at the city’s Jewish Educational Centre, said it was "important to maintain a traditional British Christmas" .

"Anything that waters down traditional culture and Christianity in the UK is not positive for the British identity."

Oxford Inspires, which runs the celebrations, was set up to promote culture in the area.

Tei Williams, a press officer for the charity, explained: "In Oxfordshire we have Winter Light which is a whole festival spanning two months. Within that will be Christmas carol services."

Deputy leader of the council Ed Turner added: "It is the charity's festival. Among councillors there’s certainly no desire to downgrade the importance or the prominence given to Christmas ."

"We are not Christmas killers. There's going to be a Christmas tree, and even if the lights are called something else to me they will be Christmas lights ."