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Christmas Displays At The Fire Station
We all know about religious diversity and inclusion/exclusion.
I remember two years ago, a lady was walking by a fire station, looked into the windows and saw Christmas decorations. She complained. The fire department was ordered to take the decorations down. Mind you; they weren't told to keep their curtains drawn, they were told to REMOVE the decorations, including the tree. I have also read that Santa is not allowed to visit some fire stations in certain parts of the U.S. and of course, Nativity scenes in front of fire stations have been ordered removed in some cases.
What do your department's do for a Christmas observance? Do you have "Santa" visit the station? Christmas party for the kids? Does Santa ride the fire truck?
Or, has the Grinch stolen your Christmas?
Art
I remember two years ago, a lady was walking by a fire station, looked into the windows and saw Christmas decorations. She complained. The fire department was ordered to take the decorations down. Mind you; they weren't told to keep their curtains drawn, they were told to REMOVE the decorations, including the tree. I have also read that Santa is not allowed to visit some fire stations in certain parts of the U.S. and of course, Nativity scenes in front of fire stations have been ordered removed in some cases.
What do your department's do for a Christmas observance? Do you have "Santa" visit the station? Christmas party for the kids? Does Santa ride the fire truck?
Or, has the Grinch stolen your Christmas?
Art
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Allen Wahlstrom on
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I just dressed up as Sparky the Fire Safety Dog and Escorted Santa nad Mrs Claus to the Base Hospital to light the Christmas Tree...
And put up the Christmas Tree in the Fire HOuse today..oh and both were orders...
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Permalink Reply by Chris Pearson 141 on
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my dept. sells Christmas Trees and has decorations out in front. I actually got back from my company's Chrismas party. My whole dept. is having a Christmas party later this month. We also do Toys for tots and Santa comes along with us. I think it is rediculus that you had to take downb all the decorations in you station. In my opinion somebody who complains about something like this has nothing better to do.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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Yesterday was our annual Breakfast with Santa. We cook pancakes and sausage and serve along with OJ, coffee, milk, donut holes and so on to the families that come. We had around 95 people attend.
After everyone has finished eating, and the kids are starting to run around, one of our trucks arrives with Santa on board, sirens screaming, horn blaring and lights flashing. The kids are pulled toward the front door as if by magnet. Santa enters and shakes the hand of each child, then makes his way to his seat by the tree. Each child has a chance to chat with Santa, and parents are allowed to take as many pictures or movies as they desire.
This is a tradition, not only for our department but for us, our children and the children of our community. We go down to the fire house the night before, assemble the tree (yes we use the same one every year) decorate the walls and set up the tables and chairs. The gift bags are assembled and stowed under the tree, carefully counted so that we're certain no child will go away empty handed.
In the morning we get in early to get the meal prepared. We have the same families attend year after year. There is one gentleman in particular who also shows up each year. At some point during the breakfast he disappears, magically transforms into St. Nick and secretly boards the truck. He's been doing this for 31 years. In fact, yesterday we saw three parents of young children who themselves sat on this same man's lap many years ago.
By the end of the breakfast clean-up we're pretty beat, but we have the pure satisfaction of knowing we helped bring pure joy to 30 or 40 children. And at some point during the show we think of our own past Christmas experiences and for a short time become kids again.
Who could imagine raising children and not exposing them to the concept of Santa? I love being a part of this tradition, and will continue to participate in it for as long as I am able to draw breath. No grinch is going to make off with our fun, if I have anything to say about it.
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Permalink Reply by Josh (ET-141) on
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I don't beleive we should have to take down all the decorations we have had up for years, because one persons religion doesn't support it.
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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It wasn't our fire station.
It was a suburban Chicago fire station.
I'll try to find the story and the link.
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Permalink Reply by Robert B Pierce on
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My wife works in a Head Start/ Day Care. They are not allowed to celebrate certain holidays because it might offend somebody. My opinion is if you want to live in our country live by our rules and traditions. Dont tell us what we can or cannot celebrate.
Here is a link to a recent article http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=135466&provi...
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Permalink Reply by YOU GO, WE GO on
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i feel that the woman that complained, is a complete nitwit. at our dept. we hold a christmas dinner for the crew & their families. santa does ride on the engine in the parade, and visits the local schools to bring christmas candy to the kids. it would be an outrage to remove christmas decorations from the station if someone complains. the way i see it, if someone complains about christmas decorations outside or inside the station and you find out who it is, then site the resident for fire hazzards.
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Permalink Reply by Tony Leonard,Jr. on
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We have lights on our station,tree in the main hall and member's room.We have Christmas Party for the Company & Have Santa at our Fire Hall,YES HE COMES ON THE TRUCK,LIGHTS AND SIRENS!An kids sit on his lap,tell him what they would like for Christmas,then they get some treats.Mostly a bag of Candy & Some left over Fire Prevention Materials.And Everyone Loves It.We also have a Pancake Breakfast with the Easter Bunny.As Far As Having To Remove ALL Decorations,THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GETS OUT OF HAND!It makes me Sick!This is America,where this stuff is supposed to be tolerated.An a reason why our Ancestors came here in the first place.I could go on but I don't think this is the right place for it.
MERRY CHRISTMAS,
-Tony
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Permalink Reply by LEE on
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we have a tree, a christmas party (with food and drink and everything ..... yes we have designated response crews for the event), we have exterior lights and we take santa around town with the Q blairing like hell .... the kids get a 2 for one ..... they see santa and they see the big shiny fire engine with all the lights on and it makes their day. Our borough encourages it because it is community participation not some outrageous public display.
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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Isn't it pathetic that the world we live in has come to this? We now have to be politically correct saying happy holidays instead of Merry Christmas. You can't decorate too much, or the complaints fly. We all forget that this country was founded on the need for their own religeon. Just because we enjoy the celebration of our own religeon is no need for people to get their panty's in a bunch because they don't celebrate the same holidays. It isn't fair that some firefighters (especially the paid guys that work christmas eve) aren't allowed to have a Christmas Tree. Instead of people complaining about this matter, why not bite the bullet because yet again, they are celebrating their own religeon. Since the fire service is do diverse in culture, I feel it is the departments obligation to allow for tasteful decorations for the holidays their firefighters celebrate.
Our fire department has a Christmas party. Notice the lack of Holiday Party. We come together as a family with all kinds of cultural backgrounds. We don't all celebrate christmas, but the complaining doesn't exist because we all know it is a time to all be together and enjoy each others company in a non emergency situation. Santa makes a appearance, and all is well.
For the towns who ban decorations, grow up already. What would the "holiday" season be without some festive decorations?
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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Our dept. has a Santa breakfast for the public and one for members and their families. At Both Santa appears on a fire truck with lights and sirens. No one has to participate and no one twists their arm to participate. At our dept. we also have lights, a tree, blow-ups, nativity scenes, and candles in the windows.
May the scrooges find love in their hearts for everyone this year.
Merry Christmas.
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Permalink Reply by Terry Lambert on
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Our department puts up light at of the stations, we have blow up xmas decorations. We have a x-mas party for the kids and families. We even drive Santa around to some kids who are very sick, and there families can not afford a nice x-mas for them because of medical bills. All those toy's are donated by local merchants.
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