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East Lansing families received a letter from the school district recently regarding the district's decision to stop using school time for Halloween and Valentine's Day. A mention of me in the City Pulse article on the subject has led some people to believe that the City is planning to [do] something similar so I would like to clear that up, i have mentioned to several staff members that I think our seasonal programs would be more welcoming if we didn't include things like pictures with Santa or the Easter Bunny. Yes, Christmas and Easter have become mainstream commercial holidays but they are religious traditions and including them in City sponsored programs makes those events unwelcoming to large segments of our population. We can host a beautiful winter themed festival without including religion.