Christmas with religiously and ethnically diverse with community

[mids2019]

So I work in a trust where possibly 20% of staff are Muslim and there are plenty of other religions represented too with some Christians .

This year with the traditional Christmas parties and general Christmas build up there have been conversations about our holiday period being centred around one religion to the detriment of others. There are no bank holidays associated with Eid or Diwali and people for instance.

I think in general people do get in the general communal Christmas spirit but for instance the traditional meal and drinks which is meant to be a celebratory time for staff has maybe maybe feel staff feel excluded with many junior staff members of non Christian faith feeling uncomfortable with going so simply didnt. There were a subgroup of staff that organise a large meal with the alcohol flowing but it really is becoming obvious that there needs to be a more inclusive event of the Christmas do is partly to show gratitude to hard working staff.

Do we need to reflect at Christmas not everyone celebrates it and with the continued Christ in the name it is still a relgous festival and as such people with strong faith in other religions may be a little reluctant to embrace the festoval?

Do you knew what the word holiday means?

Happy Holidays is an Americanism, we're talking about the UK here where we say Happy Christmas / Merry Christmas. You wouldn't say Happy Holidays to replace Diwali / Eid /Hannukah so why say it to replace Christmas?

We are a secular country where fewer than 50% of the inhabitants are Christian.

Thank goodness.

Most of us said it would be good to do part without alcohol or very little as that would be welcomed by many then go on to have drinks

Saying happy holidays just to not mention chrismast, cancelling Christmas parties in country where Christmas are the event, to appeas (imaginary or very tiny minority of others) is wimping and fuels issues. As many of us mentioned.

Happy holidays is stupid. Noone uses it for all celebrations 🤷 Never heard anyone to tell my husband happy holidays during either Eid, nor did he. Plus not everyone goes on/has holidays that time😁
Holidays are defined as time of no work. Wishing people who work is nonsensical therefore

You don't have to be a practising Christian to take part in festivals which are part of your culture.

I worked in a department with a Jewish boss who had a Muslim PA. Also in the departments were another Jewish person, a Hindu, a devout Catholic and two Presbyterians. And an atheist. We all went out in December for our staff Christmas lunch with no issues. The Muslim woman would bring in delicious home-made dishes to share as did the Hindu woman. I can honestly say we were a friendly and close-knit team. I miss them.

I worked in a small organisation with people of many nationalities. We discussed this and decided to have pot luck holiday meal instead. There were people who didn't want to drink both religious reasons and other reasons too.

It was amazing. It was still very Christmassy as, on discussion, it was the alcohol not the jumpers.

The question was about having a work place event which is not being inclusive. That is an issue to be quite blunt it tells me that HR are not on the ball.

I would ask what is appropriate because religions have different rules I know the Christian ones so know saying happy holidays is not a slur on their religion.

Again, you're deflecting. You seem to have a problem with Christian culture and your 'inclusivity' means it includes everyone else bar Christians ie not inclusive at all.

No I don't I simply know that happy holidays is no slur on Christianity because ita around me ,🤣🤣

Happy holidays is most definitely a slur on a Christian's religion. Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus - the Christ. If you take the word "Christmas" out and call it happy holidays you are taking away the entire meaning of what Christians celebrate. It is no different than avoiding saying Happy Eid or Eid Mubarak and saying happy holidays instead.

Well not any religious leaders I asked including a bishop 🤣🤣

Yet you don't say Happy Holidays to people of other faiths. You acknowledge their faith and culture.

I don't know where you are but the Christians I know (including me) find erasing the word Christmas pretty offensive. Maybe you don't care about offending Christians but plenty of Christians AND non-Christians on this thread have said that they don't like it but you persist anyway. Somehow I don't think that would be the case if it were Muslims or Jews or Hindus objecting to what you call their religious festivals.

I think you’re making an issue where none exist. I have a diverse group of colleagues, the Christmas party was attended by Muslims and Hindus, but to be honest most attendees were of no faith at all. I think I’m the only practicing Christian in the company but I didn’t attend, though not for any ‘religious’ reason, just preference. I wouldn’t ask the management to stop organising the event because it doesn’t fit my particular taste.

Yeah right. I'm not going to engage with you any more as you're clearing posting in bad faith. You won't say happy holidays to a Muslim as you want to respect their faith and culture but you will to a Christian even when they tell you that it's offensive to them. I think that says everything there is to say about your character.

I clearly said I would ask. I know the rules of Christian faiths.

Oh bless the character slur because I don't say something that is your particular. Yes I did ask it I regularly debate it with my brother on law the bishop 🤣 .

So yes I am well aware of the rules I can also tell you his faith doesn't prevent him faking at cards.

Me saying happy holidays is perfectly fine within the rules of Christian faith point it out where it says otherwise. I stated I would ask other religions because l don't have a PhD in religions only education!

Christmas isn't the first celebration of religion at this point in the year so by your assumption you can wish me pagan blessings of the tide.

You seem very confused. You're an ardent atheist who has no truck for religion yet are au fait with Christianity in a staunchly secular country.

You want to be inclusive but that inclusivity doesn't include respect for Christianity.

I am Irish. There is no issue with making the cultural celebrations of Xmas more inclusive.

There is no reason that should impact your choice of celebrations. You simply don't get to dictate to those of none or other faith.

Does anyone think that Hannukah should be more inclusive?

We learnt about it in school but the reality is the Jewish population is tiny so realistically it would be likely be challenging to do something. We do usually have a nice piece on the national news where the president wishes the community good wishes and the representative of the community usually shares a little about the celebration.

I always assumed that Happy Holidays is a sort of catch-all term that includes Christmas, New Year and Hanukkah. I don't think it's as popular here because we don't do Thanksgiving so the period is less well defined and includes fewer holidays.

Incidentally, in 2033 'Happy Holidays' will also include Eid, which is forecast to coincide with Christmas Day, very closely followed by the beginning of Hanukkah. Hanukkah Sameach, Merry Christmas and Eid Mubarak!

It will be quite poignant as Jesus is an important figure in all 3 religions. Not that Jesus was actually born in December, of course. People have been feasting and celebrating around the winter solstice since Neolithic times! Happy Holidays indeed!