Article: A Christmas Tree By Any Other Name

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A Christmas Tree By Any Other Name

(Is Still A Christmas Tree)

For the past several years my article entitled "The December Dilemma" has been published in a wide variety of publications. In that article I wrote about the challenge of being inclusive and respectful while acknowledging the different holidays that fall during this season. As a result, I have been called the "Santa Slayer" by some who are appalled by my comments while, at the same time, I have received numerous comments of gratitude and thanks. The fact that I am still receiving a large number of requests to circulate the article is proof that this is still an emotional and perplexing issue. This newsletter is a sequel to "The December Dilemma."

'Tis the Holiday Season... or is it the Christmas Season... or the Winter Solstice, or is it just the time when it gets darn cold? It seems as though there is more commentary than ever about what to call the time between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day and how to refer to the symbols that represent primarily religion-based holidays, beliefs, and traditions that occur in December. The recent decisions of businesses such as Macy's to replace the word "holiday" with "Christmas" in their signage, advertisements, and promotions have led to lively conversations and much press. Our nation no longer has a "holiday tree." The needle-leafed tree in our nation's capital decorated with lights and a star is now officially the "National Christmas Tree."

When I heard this, I thought, Why would you call a Christmas tree anything but a Christmas tree? Or a menorah anything but a menorah? Or a kinara, a symbol of Kwanzaa, anything else? I believe these symbols are important representations of our pluralistic society. Once a decision is made to display them, they should be described as what they are and what they stand for.

The issue lies in the reasoning behind this decision. After a threatened boycott by the "Committee to Save Merry Christmas" and other Christian groups that believe making the season generic is discriminating, Macy's launched a "Christmas Campaign," taking steps it believes make them "all-inclusive." Employees are allowed to extend culturally specific holiday wishes to their customers when appropriate. If they're unsure of what to say, they are advised to stick to the general greeting, "Happy Holidays." Yesterday, as I left a small gift shop with a purchase, the clerk said, "Enjoy your holiday." I found it quite refreshing.

"Our intention is to make every customer feel welcome and acknowledged whether they celebrate Christmas or other holidays," states Louis Meunier, Executive Vice President of Macy's. Similar to many other retailers at this time of year, the change was based on Macy's concern about offending Christian shoppers, who currently make up approximately 85% of consumers in the United States. That makes sense to me. Anywhere you look in the stores, you know it is Christmas. However, as savvy retailers, I'm sure Macy's doesn't want to ignore the Hanukkah shoppers, especially this year, when the holidays overlap.

It's a fact that Christmas drives this country's retail economy and takes up a lot of time in November and December. "Christmas Creep" quickly takes over a majority of employees' thoughts as they think about gifts, parties, Christmas programs and services, time off, and possible bonuses. To ignore it is impossible, but the work still has to get done. So, as we look at the latest twist in the December Dilemma, what does this mean for the workplace?

Acknowledging the diverse ways in which individuals celebrate the December holidays is challenging. There's no denying it. We all know that you can't please everyone. Even Christians celebrate Christmas in a variety of ways. My Christian friends fill me with tales of their family traditions and blended family "hot" issues such as, "Do you open your gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?" and "Is the traditional meal turkey or oyster stew?" or "Is midnight mass on Christmas Eve a must?" And this doesn't even take interfaith families into consideration.

When we highlight specific holidays in the spirit of workplace inclusiveness, we need to do so with sensitivity and a degree of caution. Any appearance of endorsing one religion over another crosses a fine line. It's the line between recognizing a religious holiday and promoting a specific religion in such a way that those of different beliefs feel uncomfortable. In fact, doing so may violate your company's policies on religion and/or some laws. Some Christian employees, managers, or even leaders may cross that line without even realizing it.

Input from many employees is needed when planning seasonal activities and events, as well as suggested guidelines from management in order to maintain appropriateness in the workplace while keeping the focus on productivity in the midst of celebration. There also needs to be consideration for those who are not interested, for religious or other reasons, in taking part in seasonal activities.

What this recent dialogue around "holiday" versus "Christmas" highlights is that people really care about what happens during this season. To say, "Who cares?" or "It doesn't matter!" just isn't true. During this season when the message is peace, appreciation, goodwill, and love, let's all try to recognize each other and honor our differences in ways that are all encompassing and respectful.

Oh, and in case you think I have changed my opinion, I still believe that Santa is a great addition to many events, but not as the special guest for any business organization's holiday party.

Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Solstice, Happy New Year, and warm wishes to all.

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