I was having dinner with my family one night when my sister told me something that blew me away. She began explaining how all of the holiday parties in the Mehlville School District had changed names in order to keep from offending anyone.
The Halloween party became the Fall Festival, the Christmas celebration became the Winter party, and Valentine's Day is now Friendship Day.
To make it even worse, every class in every grade now takes part in the exact same activities: everything from playing the same games, coloring the same pictures, and working on the same puzzles.
I recall my elementary school changing the name of the school-wide Halloween party from the "Goblin Gala" to the "Fall Festival" so that it didn't scare us students. But for the seven years I attended Rogers Elementary, I never thought ONCE that this big Halloween party was going to be a chance for parents and older kids to scare the shit out of me - I looked forward to it for the easy candy-winning games and the cake walk!
Regardless, I can't help but wonder what's going to happen when these kids grow up and truly believe that Friendship Day is February 14? They're either going to be ridiculed as a little kid for only getting 6 valentines instead of 7, or they're going to be ridiculed in high school and college and after because they gave their buddy a hug instead of giving their girlfriend a box of chocolates and roses.
Why can't we live in a non-denial society, where life isn't fair and things don't always go your way? You never learn anything without getting upset or offended once in awhile.
Just ask the kid I used to beat up back in the day.
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