Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 22:00     Subject: Re:Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
Anonymous wrote:As a Jewish person, I wouldn't be super happy about a wreath decorating contest. HOWEVER... as a competitive person, I'd make damn sure my wreath won.


Me too but I'd make it my Hanukkah wreath or do something really bizarre to annoy everyone.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 21:51     Subject: Re:Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
Anonymous wrote:There is no way, 100% chance, that this OP is earnest. I don't believe it for a second.



You will be surprise to find out how many idiots are working for government.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 17:28     Subject: Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
Anonymous wrote:You are in a prefominately Christian country. Don’t go if you aren’t interested and don’t put up a stink.


That's not how the Constitution works. I thought you guys loved the Constitution?
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 17:28     Subject: Re:Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
I am Jewish. I agree with you. I would not participate and would not feel bad about it.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 17:27     Subject: Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
You are in a prefominately Christian country. Don’t go if you aren’t interested and don’t put up a stink.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 17:13     Subject: Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:when I've traveled to various countries that celebrate a range of religious holidays, I understand and respect their traditions. In the U.S. many people celebrate Christian traditions. Maybe the best thing to do is for you to understand and respect these traditions?


nah. this is OP's workplace, and her employer is by law not supposed to favor any particular religion. 100% different.


nah, not different.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 16:58     Subject: Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
Anonymous wrote:when I've traveled to various countries that celebrate a range of religious holidays, I understand and respect their traditions. In the U.S. many people celebrate Christian traditions. Maybe the best thing to do is for you to understand and respect these traditions?


nah. this is OP's workplace, and her employer is by law not supposed to favor any particular religion. 100% different.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 16:47     Subject: Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
when I've traveled to various countries that celebrate a range of religious holidays, I understand and respect their traditions. In the U.S. many people celebrate Christian traditions. Maybe the best thing to do is for you to understand and respect these traditions?
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 15:59     Subject: Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
I like the idea of decorating the wreath with the First Amendment. I would totally do that.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 15:25     Subject: Re:Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
Anonymous wrote:As a Jewish person, I wouldn't be super happy about a wreath decorating contest. HOWEVER... as a competitive person, I'd make damn sure my wreath won.


I like you.

Signed, a practicing Catholic who only has wreaths decorating her house because her non-religious husband remembers to buy/put them up.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 15:01     Subject: Re:Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
As a Jewish person, I wouldn't be super happy about a wreath decorating contest. HOWEVER... as a competitive person, I'd make damn sure my wreath won.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 14:52     Subject: Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
Anonymous wrote:
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.


Oh, I'd be 100 percent fine with no decorations or party etc at all. But that's unrealistic. So given that most offices do something, a wreath is the least of the evils in my opinion.

But I completely agree its inappropriate in a government workplace. Private sector can do what it wants.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 14:46     Subject: Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
Can we just do away with holiday parties altogether?
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 14:40     Subject: Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:And, I place wreaths on my door all year long. Search wreaths on Pinterest. Fall weather, spring wreaths, Valentine's day wreaths, summer wreaths, winter wreaths, and holiday wreaths.

It's not a special thing done only at Christmas.


Then the office should have the wreath decorating competition in the spring or summer. If it's not a special thing done only at Christmas, why is it done ONLY at Christmas in the office? Why is that the only time of year people are able to use work time to decorate a plant?


The point is that wreaths are not exclusively Christmas decorations. They can be non-holiday decorations as well. And you can choose to look at them as regular decorations if you don't celebrate Christmas.
Anonymous
Post 12/09/2017 12:49     Subject: Off putting fed holiday celebration or am I being too sensitive?
Anonymous wrote:And, I place wreaths on my door all year long. Search wreaths on Pinterest. Fall weather, spring wreaths, Valentine's day wreaths, summer wreaths, winter wreaths, and holiday wreaths.

It's not a special thing done only at Christmas.


Then the office should have the wreath decorating competition in the spring or summer. If it's not a special thing done only at Christmas, why is it done ONLY at Christmas in the office? Why is that the only time of year people are able to use work time to decorate a plant?