these "holidays" is just a marketing ploy that is also disrespectful of the purpose of the days of recognition in the first place. Co-opting someone's religious celebration for kids in this way is actually promoting the idea that only their religious beliefs are valid and that all others are to be mocked in this way. Perhaps they could just have "celebration days" for the sake of celebration but leave these themes meant to offend and mock out of it. I think this is one of the reasons we have the amount of religious zealotry that we do in this country... because nobody is taught to respect the beliefs of others, only mockery of them.
If school children were taught the actual original meanings of these "holidays" without the mockery and then offered days for celebration without the mockery themes, then I would be okay with them. I, personally, am offended by the way Hallowe'en and Christmas are celebrated in this country... they are measured by profit margins and capitol intake and rarely anything more. They have been co-opted by capitalism and that is all they are anymore in this country, a celebration of corporate profit.
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