Lots of bloggers agree with Toys for Tots' decision to reject donated talking-Jesus dolls for distribution to needy children in the upcoming holiday season. Well, I don't, and I'll tell you why.
The tradition of gift-giving for Christmas is, well, a Christian thing. Yes, Jewish kids get presents and gelt during Chanukah, which happens to fall in the same season, but that's nowhere near on the level of Christian children on Christmas. And Christmas is a Jesus thing (okay, a bebejesus thing) so, as tacky and non-fun-related some might consider it, a Jesus doll is as appropriate to the occasion as, say, an easy-zip dreidel necktie is to Chanukah. A doll, in fact, can be a lot more fun than clothing, because you can (more easily) play pretend with it, and pretend doesn't have to include making the doll talk, and it doesn't have to include anything educational. And T for T is implicitly claiming they couldn't find some alternatives in Santa's big bag for kids who shouldn't be celebrating Christmas anyway?
I'm sorry, I can understand getting annoyed or frustrated at complete strangers coming up to you, automatically assuming you share their religion, and wishing you a Merry Christmas instead of the more inclusive Happy Holidays (and of course, their corporate equivalents, although that's a bit different because you're approaching them rather than the other way around, and the holidays aren't supposed to be about consumerism anyway, they're supposed to be about FOOD). But a charity rejecting donated religious toys to be given to kids on a religious holiday? There's such a thing as taking the possibility of offense too far.
The tradition of gift-giving for Christmas is, well, a Christian thing. Yes, Jewish kids get presents and gelt during Chanukah, which happens to fall in the same season, but that's nowhere near on the level of Christian children on Christmas. And Christmas is a Jesus thing (okay, a bebejesus thing) so, as tacky and non-fun-related some might consider it, a Jesus doll is as appropriate to the occasion as, say, an easy-zip dreidel necktie is to Chanukah. A doll, in fact, can be a lot more fun than clothing, because you can (more easily) play pretend with it, and pretend doesn't have to include making the doll talk, and it doesn't have to include anything educational. And T for T is implicitly claiming they couldn't find some alternatives in Santa's big bag for kids who shouldn't be celebrating Christmas anyway?
I'm sorry, I can understand getting annoyed or frustrated at complete strangers coming up to you, automatically assuming you share their religion, and wishing you a Merry Christmas instead of the more inclusive Happy Holidays (and of course, their corporate equivalents, although that's a bit different because you're approaching them rather than the other way around, and the holidays aren't supposed to be about consumerism anyway, they're supposed to be about FOOD). But a charity rejecting donated religious toys to be given to kids on a religious holiday? There's such a thing as taking the possibility of offense too far.
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