Easter Eggs in a multicultural workplace

[Sheepcup]

I lead a small team in an education business, i.e. we work to school terms.

Usually I get a small gift for my staff at the end of each term and at Easter it's Eggs. Until now, I worked in a very white area where people are mostly not religious but broadly Christian by heritage. Everyone has Eggs without attaching much religious significance to them.

This year, I have moved to a different area and in my team I have an Israeli Jew and a Bengali Muslim.

Do I get Eggs, they're just chocolate tokens of the season, or absolutely not? If not, what else?

@PlumpAndDeliciousFatcat "
Exactly. OP is in a new job and new context and wants some reassurance. It’s perfectly reasonable to ask and very typically shitty of MN to roll its collective eyes and say ‘omg you are SO STUPID’, which is honestly the overwhelming consensus of this thread."

Even worse that the consensus is that she is stupid to care. She shouldn't care whether she provides a treat her whole team can share. This is a profoundly depressing thread.

muslims eat during Ramadan, just before sunrise and after sunset so they can still have an egg

The partners were very observant and Fridays they closed the office early in winter.

The kitchen had two microwaves (one for those who weren’t of the faith). One of the partners brought in food during specific periods that we were allowed and left it in the main office. We were told not to bring in certain foods. He went through desks and removed food we weren’t ‘supposed’ to have (we had been asked not not have certain foods). The units in the kitchen were covered in tinfoil (which was pretty impressive - even the sink).

Yes, this is standard for Orthodox Jews during Passover. I would guess that the proscribed foods were leavened baked goods and other certain grains.

@tuvamoodyson "
Do you think it’s offensive to eat a bacon roll in the presence of Muslims? Do you imagine Muslims think it’s offensive to eat halal food in the presence of Christians? If so, you’re being ridiculous!"

No I don't. I do think it's offensive to offer a team treat that not everyone in the team can share.

Treat everyone the same. I often think if I give someone something and I've got it wrong, I hope they have an family member or friend who will enjoy it.

We also had evangelical Christians refuse eggs at school

@Toomuch44 "Treat everyone the same. I often think if I give someone something and I've got it wrong, I hope they have an family member or friend who will enjoy it."

I agree. Treat everyone the same. Asking a simple question means you can give a treat everyone can enjoy.

I worked with a Christian who refused to eat pork (I forget what type of Christian he was but he said it was for religious purposes).

when I bring in treats I try to cover food allergies and specific diets.

Honestly I've worked with people of all different backgrounds - we celebrate everything together - by celebrating I mean eating obviously - Christmas stuff, Easter, Eid, Diwali. Any excuse - I just make sure anything is halal or warn people if it's not.

My Muslim colleague always decorates the Christmas tree because she doesn't have one at home. She doesn't celebrate Christmas but uses it as an excuse to buy herself some nice things which I think is awesome.

Very few people overthink these things other than middle class white men sitting in a tower somewhere being paid vast sums.

@MotherofWhippets81 "Very few people overthink these things other than middle class white men sitting in a tower somewhere being paid vast sums."

Possibly. But kind and thoughtful bosses do their best to make sure that if they give their team a treat they make sure everyone can share.

Doesn't the Old Testament forbid the eating of pork?

I have in my head that the Old Testament is the basis for Judaism and Islam, and the New for Christianity.

Certainly the character of God is very very different between the 2, which I thought odd as a child. Seemed to me like 2 very different religions entirely with contradictions all over the place.

It's fine, just hand out the eggs.

Why would she worry though?

I see this sort of thing as being akin to when children or animals are 'overly reassured' by their parents/owners, to the degree that they suffer anxiety because of all the 'dont worry its fine', it makes them think that there is something to worry about

OP has been caught up in a context whereby she thinks she needs to worry/be preoccupied/be concerned with/query a really basic, neutral situation which is that of bringing some foodstuffs into the office.

Its unbelievable really

@soupfiend "Why would she worry though?"

Because she wants everyone in her team to be able to share a treat. Why the F is this so hard to understand??

But if one person says ‘no it’s so offensive to me personally!’ Then what?

I don’t drink alcohol, but I wouldn’t be offended if I was given some, I’d just pass it on to someone who would like it.

@HoneyButterPopcorn "But if one person says ‘no it’s so offensive to me personally!’ Then what"

Give her a bar of chocolate instead of an egg. When we had Witness children in our classroom, we made Spring Baskets with chocolate rabbits in them. So.everyone.could.share.

@DustyLee123 "I don’t drink alcohol, but I wouldn’t be offended if I was given some, I’d just pass it on to someone who would like it."

But at a team event surely a good manager who knew that would provide some nice squash or something?

They can share….they can take it home to eat later. It’s chocolate. It’s egg shaped chocolate!!

You’re alright op, chocolate eggs are not religious. It’s not like you’re handing out crucifix’s.

@tuvamoodyson "
They can share….they can take it home to eat later. It’s chocolate. It’s egg shaped chocolate!!"

Yes. But the OP was simply checking that everyone was OK with Easter eggs. Which, because there are no Jehova's Witnesses in her team, they are.

Aetheist here. Love an egg. Caramac, please, heard they’re being discontinued 😱

Your analogy makes zero sense. It would only apply if OP were receiving totally unsolicited comments from strangers about how she ‘shouldn’t worry’ about culturally specific gestures in a multicultural workplace. She is receiving answers to a question and for the zillionth time, it should be perfectly acceptable for her to ask that question. I don’t understand the motivations of the people on this thread who think she is idiotic for asking it.

Hares are sacred pagan animals and yes, it is definitely nothing to do with Jesus being ressurected.

Easter falls on the first weekend after the last full moon, following the Spring Equinox. The whole thing is actually Pagan, but with the Jesus "story" bolted on.

Pretty sure the Jews that lived during that ancient time of Jesus didn't have access to chocolate or bucking hares.