Hamburg daycare center without a Christmas tree: “In order not to hurt religious feelings”

A contemplative Christmas season is usually characterized by a quiet, thoughtful and peaceful atmosphere. Families come together, traditional customs and rituals are maintained. For many, this includes baking cookies, for children the long-awaited stuffed Santa boots on December 6th or decorating the Christmas tree and singing Christmas carols under it.

For religious reasons"

The Mobi daycare center in Hamburg announced last week that it would forego the Christmas tree in December this year. The Finkenau Foundation , to which the Mobi daycare center belongs, informed parents in a letter from the daycare center management about a new regulation according to which the Christmas tree as a “symbol” of Christian celebrations will be removed – “in the spirit of religious freedom”.

“We as a team decided against it because we don't want to exclude any child and their faith.” That's why this year there is an “adapted” decoration, the rooms are decorated, Advent calendars have been made, but no Christmas tree; all of this “in the spirit of religious freedom”.

Nationwide response

It wasn't just the parents of the daycare center who were upset about it, there was also a nationwide media uproar. Especially on social media, critics and parents of kindergarten children believed that they recognized “the zeitgeist of cancel culture” in the process, as the “Hamburger Morgenpost” reported.

Celebrities, including CDU politician Julia Klöckner (@JuliaKloeckner), Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture under former Chancellor Angela Merkel, also comment on the topic:

“In Hamburg, a daycare center does not have a #Christmas tree because they don't want to exclude any child or their faith. But do so! Consequently, the daycare center would also have to be open over the Christmas holidays..."

Is it all a question of unfortunate wording?

A lot of feedback apparently went to the foundation, including protests and outrage. The day after the planned “Christmas tree cancellation” became known, she published a statement on her website that said:

“We are deeply shocked that our daycare center and we as providers have since then been confronted with massive racist threats, personal insults, accusations and attempts at blackmail.” And further: “The perhaps unfortunate formulation of the daycare center’s culturally sensitive attitude unfortunately resulted in an incorrect one undifferentiated reporting.”

So it’s all just a mistake, the consequences of an “unfortunate formulation”? Is the criticism completely unjustified, a sign of intolerance?

According to the foundation's official statement, this process only revealed "that there can be ambiguities and misunderstandings when dealing with religious festivals."

Unasked for Christmas presents are not well received

In any case, the resourceful plant manager at the online shop pflanzenmich.de wanted to remedy the situation, brought a decorated Christmas tree to the daycare center that night and set it up in their front yard along with Santa Claus gifts - as a sign against the “Christmas tree madness,” as “Bild” calls it.

Plant dealer Florian Schröder's statement against the Christmas tree cancellation: "Having to do without a Christmas tree actually works against integration!" For him, a Christmas tree represents warmth and community during the contemplative time.

“Not at the expense of the children”

on Twitter, which began with the following words: pflanzenmich.de then posted an open letter to the daycare center

“We hope that our Christmas tree arrived safely with you and that it brought you and the children a lot of joy and that we managed to surprise Santa Claus. It has saddened our staff, who consist of over 10 nationalities, that you do not want to purchase a tree for the children at your facility. But this shouldn’t be at the expense of the youngest.”

There was also the announcement that a team would come in person for an official appointment to hand over the Christmas tree and presents to the daycare center.

There was a lot of support for this, but also protests on to give a 'speech'?"

Police get Christmas tree

The campaign not only brings the Christmas tree donor many critical comments like this one and a lot of encouragement, but also a report from the daycare center; and therefore even more attention.

The gift was not well received, especially by the daycare center management. She removed the tree, called the police and filed a criminal complaint for trespassing. According to a police spokeswoman, the tree and the gifts were taken to Police Station 23 to “check the ownership situation”.

Audience antics Christmas tree liberation

Plant dealer Schröder, with great publicity, retrieves his fir tree from the police's “custody,” not without asserting: “We're trying to talk to the daycare center director. If she sticks to her opinion, we'll auction everything off for a good cause." a short film In on de loaded. The whole thing is accompanied by music and the following text: “The gift for the children of Kita Mobi will now find another home.”