Mennonite holidays
Mennonite holidays are mostly special religious days. Do not expect Mennonite students to attend school on these days (especially the more traditional ones). They are important days for church services and family gatherings.
Christmas (December 25): Christmas is traditionally celebrated by attending a morning church service to honour the birth of Christ, and then spending the day with extended family. More traditional Mennonites will set the following 2 days aside for church services and family gatherings as well. Some families are disapproving of Christmas trees and other décor associated to the mainstream celebration of Christmas, seeing such things as a pagan survival which has no place among Christians. In very traditional homes, large bowls will be set up by the children on Christmas eve, in which parents place gifts for their children to enjoy the next morning. Some families will take advantage of the days off from work and school and take this time to travel to see family in Mexico or other areas of North and South America.
Epiphany (January 6): On this day more traditional Mennonites have morning church services commemorating the three wise men who came to visit Jesus. The day is often spent visiting with family and friends.
Good Friday and Easter: Church services are held on Good Friday and Easter Sunday at all Mennonite churches. Good Friday is traditionally set apart as a day on which to reflect the death of Christ. Thus, many traditional families spend the day at home in quiet meditation of the cost of Salvation and Jesus' willingness to die on the cross for mankind. Easter Sunday, and for some, the following 2 days as well, as spent visiting family. Some families will have Easter egg hunts and goodie bags for their children. As with Christmas, some families will welcome mainstream ideas connected to Easter, such as the Easter bunny, whereas others will not.
Ascension Day (the 6th Thursday after Easter): This day is set apart with a church service in the morning to honour the ascension of Jesus into heaven after He had completed His work on earth.
Pentecost (the 7th Sunday after Easter): Pentecost is celebrated with a morning church service commemorating the gift of the Holy Spirit to Christians. Many Mennonites have family gatherings in the afternoon on this day.
Christmas (December 25): Christmas is traditionally celebrated by attending a morning church service to honour the birth of Christ, and then spending the day with extended family. More traditional Mennonites will set the following 2 days aside for church services and family gatherings as well. Some families are disapproving of Christmas trees and other décor associated to the mainstream celebration of Christmas, seeing such things as a pagan survival which has no place among Christians. In very traditional homes, large bowls will be set up by the children on Christmas eve, in which parents place gifts for their children to enjoy the next morning. Some families will take advantage of the days off from work and school and take this time to travel to see family in Mexico or other areas of North and South America.
Epiphany (January 6): On this day more traditional Mennonites have morning church services commemorating the three wise men who came to visit Jesus. The day is often spent visiting with family and friends.
Good Friday and Easter: Church services are held on Good Friday and Easter Sunday at all Mennonite churches. Good Friday is traditionally set apart as a day on which to reflect the death of Christ. Thus, many traditional families spend the day at home in quiet meditation of the cost of Salvation and Jesus' willingness to die on the cross for mankind. Easter Sunday, and for some, the following 2 days as well, as spent visiting family. Some families will have Easter egg hunts and goodie bags for their children. As with Christmas, some families will welcome mainstream ideas connected to Easter, such as the Easter bunny, whereas others will not.
Ascension Day (the 6th Thursday after Easter): This day is set apart with a church service in the morning to honour the ascension of Jesus into heaven after He had completed His work on earth.
Pentecost (the 7th Sunday after Easter): Pentecost is celebrated with a morning church service commemorating the gift of the Holy Spirit to Christians. Many Mennonites have family gatherings in the afternoon on this day.
Other days of interest
Funerals: It is common for whole families to attend community funerals, even when the person was not a relative.
Butchering: Many Mennonites do their own butchering and processing of livestock. Because parents want their children to help out and learn the skills associated to butchering, children are often pulled from school for this purpose. It is often a day when multiple families get together and work as a team.
Halloween: Many Mennonite families believe Halloween is Satan`s day and thus, they refrain from joining in on any mainstream celebrations thereof, and discourage their children from engaging in any related activities. This is a very sensitive issue for many Mennonites. Many deem witches, ghosts, goblins and monsters as being associated to evil. Autumn harvest parties may be a great alternative!
Remembrance Day: Conservative Mennonites may be disapproving of school activities regarding war or commemorating the military, on account of being a non-resistant culture. See http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Nonresistance for more information on nonresistance.
Butchering: Many Mennonites do their own butchering and processing of livestock. Because parents want their children to help out and learn the skills associated to butchering, children are often pulled from school for this purpose. It is often a day when multiple families get together and work as a team.
Halloween: Many Mennonite families believe Halloween is Satan`s day and thus, they refrain from joining in on any mainstream celebrations thereof, and discourage their children from engaging in any related activities. This is a very sensitive issue for many Mennonites. Many deem witches, ghosts, goblins and monsters as being associated to evil. Autumn harvest parties may be a great alternative!
Remembrance Day: Conservative Mennonites may be disapproving of school activities regarding war or commemorating the military, on account of being a non-resistant culture. See http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Nonresistance for more information on nonresistance.
Some information was taken from:
http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Christian_Calendar
Photo retrieved from:
http://www.commentskart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Ascension-Day-Graphics-16.jpg