Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?

[Anonymous]

I’m a Jew. I didn’t grow up celebrating Christmas, and I don’t celebrate Christmas now.

I would have no problem with wreath decorating. In fact, the (very small, not-DC area) school where I work is decorating wreaths next week. We have five employees, three of whom identify as atheist, me, and one who doesn’t talk about her beliefs. Evergreen trees symbolize life in the middle of dead winter. They’re lovely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get why it bothers you and I don't think it's the best choice for a large federal agency.

+1
We have a policy that would not allow this type of activity. It’s insensitive, unless you are going to do a similar activites that are representative of all the faiths of employees, you shouldn’t be doing it.

Wreaths aren’t religious. There are 19 faiths with holidays this time of year. Office decorating is to build moral and have fun, not endorse a religion.

If wreaths aren’t religious, why not have the decorating contest in January? They are representative of a Christian holiday. The recognition and lack of recognition is the issue.

[Anonymous]

I agree that there are all kinds of wreaths. I've seen flower wreaths, fall leaf wreaths, pinecone wreaths, seashell wreaths, etc. My mother once tole painted a wooden wreath with a wooden bird accented with hay. It hangs inside her house all year.

If you object on principal I'm certain you have the right to refrain from participating.

As an alternative, you could decorate it with symbols of every religion. (I don't know if atheists and agnostics have symbols, but you can write those on. You can even put a Festivus pole on to honor Seinfeld. Just please include a Christian symbol, because the wreath itself is not a Christian symbol.)

Another option would be to print out copies of the First Ammendment (Freedom of Religion) and cover the wreath in the First Amendment.

You could use wreaths or other secular Christmas symbols colored black or with a red line through them to protest the celebration, just please don't protest the religious elements. For that matter, paint the wreath black or put a red X on the wreath itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get why it bothers you and I don't think it's the best choice for a large federal agency.

+1
We have a policy that would not allow this type of activity. It’s insensitive, unless you are going to do a similar activites that are representative of all the faiths of employees, you shouldn’t be doing it.

Wreaths aren’t religious. There are 19 faiths with holidays this time of year. Office decorating is to build moral and have fun, not endorse a religion.

If wreaths aren’t religious, why not have the decorating contest in January? They are representative of a Christian holiday. The recognition and lack of recognition is the issue.

A lot of people object to one big company party. Do you really think they want to "celebrate" again in a month?

I've worked for a wonderful company that had a lot of extravagant bonding activities. They were generous and well-meaning (and secular), but sometimes seemed like too much trouble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's Trumptomania at work. I celebrate Christmas but I completely get what you are saying. Last year wouldn't have been a wreath.

I don't know about that. My federal workplace has put up wreaths for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree that there are all kinds of wreaths. I've seen flower wreaths, fall leaf wreaths, pinecone wreaths, seashell wreaths, etc. My mother once tole painted a wooden wreath with a wooden bird accented with hay. It hangs inside her house all year.

If you object on principal I'm certain you have the right to refrain from participating.

As an alternative, you could decorate it with symbols of every religion. (I don't know if atheists and agnostics have symbols, but you can write those on. You can even put a Festivus pole on to honor Seinfeld. Just please include a Christian symbol, because the wreath itself is not a Christian symbol.)

Another option would be to print out copies of the First Ammendment (Freedom of Religion) and cover the wreath in the First Amendment.

You could use wreaths or other secular Christmas symbols colored black or with a red line through them to protest the celebration, just please don't protest the religious elements. For that matter, paint the wreath black or put a red X on the wreath itself.

It may not be a symbol per se but for many people wreaths are associated with Christmas. Gelt / chocolate coins aren't a Jewish symbol but they are associated with Hanukkah.

[Anonymous]

My office we have Festival of Lights, Quanza, Etc but we can't say the word Christmas. Want to light a menorah and hand our dradles sure but say Merry Christmas and you are ambushed

If anything it is Christmas. Say it.

[Anonymous]

What about the Jews for Jesus?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait, is my tax payer money going towards this?

I would guess “no”. All holiday parties or any other parties at my agency are out on through contributions from staff.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t care, but that doesn’t negate your feelings. We may be the same religion, but that doesn’t mean we should feel the same about it. If it bothers you, maybe talk to someone in your office about why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd go buy blue and silver stuff and decorate it as my Hanukkah wreath. I worked for DC government years ago and the supervisor insisted I put up a Christmas tree. Funny thing I had no idea what to do so she got angry it took me a long time to figure out how to put it together and she never gave me the decorations so I found my own. She did not like them. That's what you get for asking me. Worked for another county and they did a lot of prayers too. It made me uncomfortable.

Wreaths are Christmas associated.

+1 I think it's inappropriate. All of these things are connected to Christmas (even though they have pagan origins). Unless you work for a religious institution, work events, events during work hours, should not be religious.

Perhaps I'm a Debbie Downer, but I don't think there should even be "holiday" parties. If you want to do a year end party to acknowledge staff, do so. But the minute you add Christmas decorations, it becomes a Christmas party. And it does not belong in the federal workplace. (or really any workplace, except, as I said, an actual church or religious organization)

Even when these things are "voluntary," there is definitely pressure to participate. No one should feel alienated because they don't want to celebrate someone else's religion in the workplace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an atheist and I have a wreath on my front door all year round. I have a beautiful daisy one for the spring and summer, a berry and orange leaf wreath for the Autumn, and a pine wreath for the winter. I honestly never thought of wreaths as remotely religious

For a holiday party, it is. I don't consider trees religious. But if asked to put one up in december and "decorate" it, then it does essentially become a Christmas tree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm willing to be that you are not required to participate.

A wreath, per se, is not a religious item. People hang seasonally themed or decorative wreaths on their door all year round. I can understand thinking maybe it's not the greatest idea, but " incredibly alienating and insensitive"? You're overreacting.

Wreaths in December are not religious. Decorating with holly, ivy, and fir branches is a solstice thing, not Christian. Obviously its associated with Christmas now, but as a practicing Christian I'm perfectly aware of which traditions are religious (very few) and which are co-opted.

I hate to break it to you, but pagan traditions are also religious. Paganism does not equal atheist. They just believed in different gods, and then the Christians took over their offerings to those gods.

All of these traditions have religious roots. If you want to practice them at home, great. None of it should be in the workplace. period. end of story.

Unless you are totally cool with someone who practices voodoo decorating their cubicle with the carcass of an animal they offered up, then just stop with all of the other religious-ish stuff in December.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd go buy blue and silver stuff and decorate it as my Hanukkah wreath. I worked for DC government years ago and the supervisor insisted I put up a Christmas tree. Funny thing I had no idea what to do so she got angry it took me a long time to figure out how to put it together and she never gave me the decorations so I found my own. She did not like them. That's what you get for asking me. Worked for another county and they did a lot of prayers too. It made me uncomfortable.

Wreaths are Christmas associated.

Wreaths are Christmas-associated but I'd far rather do that than decorate a tree or some of the other examples on here. Especially the prayer. Wow. That office's EEO program needs a serious overhaul.

I agree, OP, that it's a little insensitive and annoying, but honestly so is CFC and practically all other "fun" office gatherings, so I wouldn't make a fuss about it. Personally I would not participate if I had the option. If it was required, I'd participate but steer clear of overtly religious decorations of any type (including Jewish).

It's an office. Why does there have to be any religious/holiday decorations???

Personally, I'm bombarded with Christmas everywhere, at stores, in the neighborhood. EVERYWHERE. That's fine. But I shouldn't be bombarded with it at work. I shouldn't have to go into work and see Christmas scenes and trees and wreaths and gingerbread houses. Why can't december be like EVERY OTHER MONTH in the office? It's ridiculous.

You want to decorate? Decorate your house or your apartment or your yard or even your car. But I don't see why we need this stuff in the office. If anything, it's a distraction to actual work getting done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wreaths, in December, are all about Christmas. All those saying it's fine are either Christians or live in a rural areas where no one other than Christians live (how's that for stereotyping - PC Police be damned). Theres no place for it in a public office.

No, wreaths in December are pagan symbols symbolizing strength (against the winter cold) used to celebrate the winter solstice. Although incorporated into Christmas traditions, it really is no more related to Christianity than easter eggs, which are also a pagan ritual symbolizing the fertility of Springtime in celebrating the Vernal Equinox. Christianity has adopted various traditions from the pagan celebrations, but that doesn't make them Christian.

They're still religious. Do you all not realize that the pagans were religious? They believed in gods? These symbols are attached to their superstitions. Pointing out they have pagan origins doesn't make them less religious and more appropriate. If anything, it further emphasizes to me why none of this stuff belongs in the workplace. The Christians took it over for a reason -- because it was a way of taking over their religion and inserting one set of beliefs to replace another equally superstitious set of beliefs. If any of you think this stuff is innocuous, you're fools and part of the reason why the religious right is able to maintain such a chokehold on our political institutions.