Guess who’s not celebrating Christmas this December? Millions of people in the United States and the rest of the world. It’s true – tens of millions of people in the US and even more across the globe, don’t celebrate the holiday religiously or otherwise.
Yet, with plenty of industries tapping in the cash value of Christmas, it’s easy to get distracted and overlook the importance of diversity – especially at your workplace.
Of course, in the recent years, people have become more aware of this and when it comes to their colleagues from other cultures, they changed their greetings from the traditional “Merry Christmas” to the more inclusive “Happy Holidays”. But is this enough to build a culture of inclusivity at your workplace around this time of the year?
To put it simply – no. Diversity is a big deal and it can actually impact the entirety of your business in a positive way. Leveraging your team’s diversity can help you find new ways of thinking and reach a wider range of customers. So, if your diverse team can do this for you, what can you do for them in December to show how much you appreciate their culture alongside yours?
Because Christmas celebrations can shut out people in your workforce, here are some considerations you need to make before you organize a Christmas party or force any type of holiday cheer on your employees:
- Not everybody enjoys Christmas. And it doesn’t matter why. It’s a highly personal issue and it is only to be respected.
- Research what your employees celebrate in December. Is it Yule, the Winter Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, or maybe they just celebrate the holiday spirit of the season as a time for family, love, joy, and cheer?
- How can you make this holiday season inclusive of everyone at your workplace?
No one is entitled to define what Christmas is and isn’t for someone else. But from a management perspective, the winter holidays should be a time for acceptance, when no one feels left out, overlooked, uncomfortable, or forced to attend something they’d rather not.
How to Celebrate In-Office
The trick to celebrating in-office is to make everyone feel welcome – not uncomfortable. However you celebrate, keep inclusivity in mind and choose activities and themes that will entice everyone to participate.
Research what your employees celebrate at the end of the year and encourage them to share that with the rest of their colleagues, but don’t force it on them. And keep this in mind when you choose your office decor – use common sense. A Christmas tree is fine and usually admired by everyone, but an entire manger scene might be highly inappropriate. Or you can switch it around if you feel your employees are very open towards each other and allow them to participate with winter holiday decorations or dishes specific to their cultures.
But if you want to skip the religious holiday hassle, consider an End of the Year / New Year’s party instead of a Christmas one. You’ll find this celebration more inclusive and easier to plan. Whether you’re going to have a Christmas or an End of the Year party, it’s important to plan the soiree at a convenient time for everyone, not during the holiday itself, and to make attendance optional.
You might also want to consider not having a party at all, but instead giving back to the community. You can volunteer with your team for a charity, host a donation event, exchange gifts among each other, or adopt a family or a child together to whom you gift food, clothes, and other presents. Your employees may find this incredibly productive, motivating and rewarding, more so than a mere party.
Final Thoughts
While Christmas is the most popular holiday of the year for the majority of people, consider including other cultural holiday celebrations throughout the year. You don’t have to plan a party every time, but you can enable your diverse team members to organize quick “show and tell” activities about their specific holidays. It can be a fun time for everyone and you might all learn something new and useful.
Christmas favors one specific culture, but it doesn’t have to. You can plan and organize it as a time of giving back to the community or an End of the Year celebration that everyone will feel welcomed to attend. Celebrate the Holiday Spirit, instead of religious narratives and consider doing something charitable with your team.
Regardless of your choice of celebration, make sure everyone at your workplace feels included. And if they can’t or don’t want to attend your party, respect their decision and don’t discriminate against them. After all, Christmas is about spreading cheer, not hate.
