A primary school in Scotland has defended its decision to drop the word “Christmas” from its seasonal cards.

In an email to parents last week, Kaimhill School in Aberdeen said it wanted to reflect the school’s multicultural and multi-faith community and so would be rebranding the cards as “Winter cards” rather than “Christmas cards”. The email said the terminology “helps ensure that our language is welcoming and inclusive of all members of our school community. Of course, families are free to refer to these cards as Christmas cards if they wish."

But the decision has been heavily criticised, with Reform UK MSP Angela Ross saying it was an attempt to put “inclusivity before British religious celebration” and “part of a wider campaign that is steadily erasing British cultural life from our schools”.

She added that “Christmas is not a naughty word and parents and teachers need to do their part to stop it being stripped from everyday school life. Decisions like this do far more to sow division than bring people together”.

The school’s head teacher, Susie Webster said that after a screenshot of the email was shared on social media, the deputy head had received an “abusive and threatening” telephone call which was “followed by disappointing comments on social media suggesting that Christmas was somehow being removed from our school.

“I want to reassure you that is simply not the case.”

Scotland’s Education convener Martin Greig has also criticised the backlash. He told the Press and Journal that: “It is not appropriate to weaponise Christmas.

“The event encourages people to come together freely and share goodness and hospitality.

“Creating unrest and enforcing division amongst people is the opposite of Christmas.”

A spokesman for Aberdeen city council said: “The school community enjoys celebrating a number of festivals and Christmas continues to play a large part in Kaimhill School at this time of year”.