Holiday Etiquette and Diversity at Work

For people who don’t celebrate Christmas, the holiday season can be difficult, Stanek said. “Often the only chance for people to socialize with their co-workers is at a Christmas party it’s hard when this is something you don’t celebrate,” she said. “You have to either celebrate Christmas or not celebrate at all, and there are no alternatives.” Roth stressed that people should discuss how they want to celebrate before the holiday season.

Program discussed celebrating the holidays in the workplace

The holiday season is a joyous time of year, but in areas where people of different religious backgrounds share common space, it is also a season for tact. The Office for Campus Diversity and Affirmative Action presented “Sharing Holidays in the Workplace” Thursday, a program which sought to raise awareness about celebrating with respect during the holiday season. The panel of speakers talked about recognizing and celebrating holidays other than Christmas, such as Kwaanza, Yom Kippur and the Wiccan holiday Samhain. 

Wendy Stanek, who spoke about Samhain, said she hoped that providing information about different holidays would add to an appreciation for diversity during the holiday season. “We need to know that there are other holidays to celebrate in addition to Christmas,” she said. “We’re trying to add to the diversity of celebrations, not to take anything away.” Samhain, which takes place at the end of October, is a time of introspection, Stanek said. “It’s the ending of the old year and the beginning of anew year,” she said. “At this time, we think about things which have happened and people who have died.” 

Stanek added that people who attended the program learned about proper holiday etiquette. “We learned that it is not appropriate to wish people a happy Yom Kippur, because it is not necessarily a happy holiday,” she said. “Instead, wish them an easy fast.” Karen Roth, UC Davis associate director of student housing and one of the co-presenters at the program, agreed that people should acknowledge other holidays with respect. “It is important that whatever holidays are honored, they are honored in an authentic and precise way,” she said. “You need to ask people how they want you to acknowledge their celebrations.” 

For people who don’t celebrate Christmas, the holiday season can be difficult, Stanek said. “Often the only chance for people to socialize with their co-workers is at a Christmas party it’s hard when this is something you don’t celebrate,” she said. “You have to either celebrate Christmas or not celebrate at all, and there are no alternatives.” Roth stressed that people should discuss how they want to celebrate before the holiday season.

“Before decorating and making party plans, it’s good to have the group get together and talk,” she said. “During December, the Office for Campus Diversity gets a lot of complaints from people who don’t feel good about certain decorations or celebrations.” According to Stanek, having a comfortable office atmosphere during the holidays can make a difference. “During the program, we recommended that co-workers talk with each other and open lines of communication,” she said. 

Roth said being respectful during the holidays extends from the workplace to the classroom. “Students, especially those in living groups, such as dorms, fraternities, and sororities, need to remember that not everyone celebrates Christmas,” she said. “We’ve tried to spread the word by doing cross-cultural activities in the residence halls.” Celebrating holidays that are not recognized by most people can be frustrating for students, Stanek said. “Professors should try to understand if a student can’t go to class on certain days,” she said. – California Aggie News, 1995

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