It’s that time of year again! The time when many American’s light the tree, decorate the house, fight the hustle and bustle to find the perfect gifts and a myrid of other Christmas time rituals. But wait… not all American’s celebrate this way right? Of course not, yet I think a lot of people may “assume” this is true. Those of us who are a little more diversity savvy know that there are many other holidays and traditions being celebrated during this time of year.
So is it offensive to assume that most American’s celebrate Christmas? I would tend to say yes, it is. As an entrepreneur I will not miss the awkward, sometimes “ill-planned” exclusive holiday parties in the workplace. In particular the one’s where the organization pretends it’s not a Christmas party by changing the name to a holiday party, yet everything about the party looks, tastes, smells and feels like Christmas. Only once in my lifetime have I worked for an organization who “got it.” What I mean is they knew and understood the importance of creating an event or moment where all cultures, religions and ethnicities were appreciated and celebrated. I must say I learned quite a bit about the different holidays and celebrations of this time of year.
So the next time you show up for a “holiday party” pay close attention to the real message and motive of the party. See if you can figure out whether it is a Christmas party with a mask on or a real attempt to embrace, appreciate and celebrate diversity. I found an interesting article that says everything that I would say about becoming more aware and sensitive during the holiday season, so I share it with you below. I encourage you to take some time to learn about the millions of Americans who are NOT celebrating Christmas during this time and how you can incorporate some new traditions into your family ritual.
What ever you are celebrating during this time of the year, just make sure you have a delicious time and learn while you celebrate!
That’s right. Tens of millions of Americans don’t celebrate Christmas religiously, either as followers of non-Christian religions (Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Jews) or as individuals with no religious affiliation. Because many stores tap into the cash value of Christmas with their plethora of Santas, ornaments, and Christmas fanfare at your nearby mall, we can easily overlook the depth of the diversity present in America during this season. In reality, many different events, both spiritual, religious, and tradition based, are being celebrated in many different ways during these times.
It used to be that being inclusive meant sending out politically correct “Happy Holidays” greeting cards and changing Christmas office parties to “holiday parties.” Today, celebrating inclusiveness and diversity is about more than just changing labels and titles. Celebrating diversity and inclusiveness is about using the holiday celebration time to be with friends and family to build understanding and awareness about others. Read more here.
By Catrice Jackson
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