Why am I talking about this now in early October, when Canadians are just sitting down to Thanksgiving and Halloween is still some weeks away, instead of two months from now when it would be topical? It's because the issue was raised at work when we learned that our store will allow decorating for Halloween and yet (again) not for Christmas. When we learned that not only are we not permitted to decorate the showroom or any area accessible to the public, but we also cannot decorate employee access only places such as offices or lunchrooms. I'm talking about this now because I'm fed up and have decided to start making noise about this issue and encourage coworkers and others to speak up as well. I'm talking about this on Facebook and also trying to communicate with local media outlets such as newspapers.
Some years ago there was a big stink in Toronto when some obscure City Hall official dictated that a Christmas Tree could no longer be placed where it had been placed for years and years. They had it removed. What followed was a storm of public and media criticism about said removal and ban of that inoffensive tree that so many enjoyed seeing during the holidays. It didn't take long before that tree was put back where it belonged and where people wanted to see it. And they certainly didn't cotton to the notion of it being called a Holiday Tree instead of a Christmas Tree. And note that quite a few folks who weren't Christian or didn't celebrate Christmas themselves spoke loudly in defence of that tree. Granted I don't recall all the particulars, but I also don't recall if it was ever disclosed exactly who was responsible for trying to evict said Christmas Tree.
That event resonated with me as well as a lot of other people, many of us offended that government and business often dictate to their workers that they're not to say "Merry Christmas" to customers and the public, but rather "Season's Greetings" or "Happy Holidays."
Recalling that little happy ending is what is encouraging me to start making my own noise and hoping others join in. Granted for some this is a non issue and they won't really care about the outcome. But for many of us I'm trying to express what many may be thinking or feeling, but might be a bit shy about saying aloud. Maybe they just need a little encouragement.
And so I've begun by getting my thoughts down to clearly express what I want to say and sharing it with whoever cares to hear. I call it simply,
Are We Thinking The Same Thing?
In Canada we like to think of ourselves as considerate and understanding people. We like the idea we don’t push ourselves and our ideas down other people’s throats. Yet although we think that, and usually practice it, there are times when it can be carried too far. When does tolerance and accommodation become simple appeasement and even surrender?
How often have you heard yourself or your fellows gripe we may be giving up too much? It happens enough that yet another part of our heritage, our traditions, another part of our very identity is sacrificed for some nebulous reason on the off chance we might offend someone? It gets so that many of us feel we cannot speak at the risk of maybe giving offense. What aggravates us even more is knowing that if we were to visit or emigrate to any number of other countries we’d have to adapt to their ways, their laws, their values and traditions. There would be little to no accommodation of us.
Why are so many here so willing to sacrifice our heritage and traditions? Why are our ways less important than others?
I’m not a particularly religious person and I’m generally easygoing live-and-let-live by nature. I won’t push myself on others and I expect the same consideration in kind. That said there are things I strongly believe and there are things I value. I’m proud of my country even if I don’t wear my patriotism on my sleeve. I value our society governed by rule of law rather than by gun and intimidation—we generally settle our disputes in court rather than by gunfire and explosives. I value striving for fairness and equality between people regardless of gender, race or class. I get upset when I see someone being treated unfairly, exploited or pushed around. This gets to the heart of my ire—when we are asked or forced to sacrifice something we value without good cause.
This isn’t a debate on whether Christianity and Western values are actually under attack worldwide. But it must be said that said values have done a great deal of good in the world. And it cannot be denied that Canada was founded on said values and traditions—these are part of our heritage and our identity. These things are important and as such they should not be willingly sacrificed.
For decades I’ve lived and worked with many different people from around the world. What I’ve gathered is that most folks are essentially the same no matter where they’re from. They want a decent life for themselves and their families. They want fair opportunities. They’re concerned about earning their way and living amicably with their neighbours. And most of them are pretty easygoing and live-and-let-live by nature. And I never met one of them who expressed that Canada and Canadians should give up who and what they are. Indeed who and what we are is a major motivation for people wanting to immigrate here! They want to be more like us. They want to be one of us!
And so why are we in such a damned hurry to give up some of the very things that represent who and what we are? In the supposed interest of trying to avoid maybe offending someone else we are offending are forefathers and the values many of us hold even if we mightn’t express them openly and loudly.
For some years now my employer (among other businesses) has enacted a moratorium on Christmas décor of the workplace. Other than approved cheap and low-key cardboard seasonal signage it’s been established as “standard operating practice” that no overt holiday decorations be allowed in the workplace. This applies not only to a sales showroom, but also areas accessible only to employees such as offices and lunchrooms. And so: no Christmas decorating. Not a bit of garland, not a ribbon, not an ornament or light, not even a small and lowly Charlie Brown type Christmas tree tucked into an obscure corner. Nothing.
What is allowed? Well, besides approved seasonal signage you’re allowed to stress out due to increased business (with little extra help) and your employer is allowed to make at least forty percent of its annual earnings while not expressing that you share in the spirit of the season.
You don’t get one scrap of décor to look at to perhaps give you a smidgen of cheer in the midst of increased working stress and your employer gets to make extra bucks without having to brighten up the premises to give customers a more festive feeling to alleviate some of their holiday stress. At a time that’s supposed to be happy and to celebrate the more noble aspects of humankind we’re turning it into an blatant orgy of naked greed and overt consumerism. Season’s Greetings to you.
What the hell is all this for? Christmas has always been a mix of rituals as well as tied to some degree to commercialism, but it has long been hand-in-hand where one is free to observe whatever aspect one pleases. You can either observe strictly the religious meanings of Christmas and forego the gift-giving and overt commercialism or you can go neck deep into debt—it’s your choice—or you can observe the holiday in some manner somewhere in between as most of us do.
Christmas as we recognize it has many origins. It has become a mix of many rituals meaning different things to different people. And while it is technically a religious holiday that is not its only meaning. Christmas has become a celebration of what is best about us as well as what we are thankful for. And a key word here is celebration.
What is Christmas decorating all about particularly in a public space? Simply it is an act of shared celebration, a sharing of common values with our neighbours, our coworkers and in terms of business our customers. It is a shared celebration with our community. For a business not to decorate for Christmas, or to not allow its employees to decorate their workplace, is to say openly that our proclaimed values, our goodwill, our celebration are not shared. Still, thanks for your business and please come again. This is open hypocrisy and certainly doesn’t foster much if any goodwill among men.
From a purely human standpoint Christmas decorating is an expression of human happiness—a simple and inoffensive form of celebration. From a business standpoint it’s effective advertising. You are establishing a bond of common values and goodwill with your customers while encouraging them to be a bit more generous with their spending. Now how can any business not understand that? You’re keeping your employees happy as well as your customers.
Not everything can be reduced in terms of money, thankfully. And that is as it should be. There are things that transcend making a buck. They can be simple things that in the long run benefit you and in extent can, yes, help you make an extra dollar. But by denying us to decorate our workplace you are declaring we cannot express what we share with our fellows. You are denying a significant part of what our society and our way of life is supposed to represent.
In the supposed aim to potentially not offend someone you have actually offended many of us celebrating much of what our society stands for.
Oh yes, we’re certainly feeling the love…
Some years ago there was a big stink in Toronto when some obscure City Hall official dictated that a Christmas Tree could no longer be placed where it had been placed for years and years. They had it removed. What followed was a storm of public and media criticism about said removal and ban of that inoffensive tree that so many enjoyed seeing during the holidays. It didn't take long before that tree was put back where it belonged and where people wanted to see it. And they certainly didn't cotton to the notion of it being called a Holiday Tree instead of a Christmas Tree. And note that quite a few folks who weren't Christian or didn't celebrate Christmas themselves spoke loudly in defence of that tree. Granted I don't recall all the particulars, but I also don't recall if it was ever disclosed exactly who was responsible for trying to evict said Christmas Tree.
That event resonated with me as well as a lot of other people, many of us offended that government and business often dictate to their workers that they're not to say "Merry Christmas" to customers and the public, but rather "Season's Greetings" or "Happy Holidays."
Recalling that little happy ending is what is encouraging me to start making my own noise and hoping others join in. Granted for some this is a non issue and they won't really care about the outcome. But for many of us I'm trying to express what many may be thinking or feeling, but might be a bit shy about saying aloud. Maybe they just need a little encouragement.
And so I've begun by getting my thoughts down to clearly express what I want to say and sharing it with whoever cares to hear. I call it simply,
Are We Thinking The Same Thing?
In Canada we like to think of ourselves as considerate and understanding people. We like the idea we don’t push ourselves and our ideas down other people’s throats. Yet although we think that, and usually practice it, there are times when it can be carried too far. When does tolerance and accommodation become simple appeasement and even surrender?
How often have you heard yourself or your fellows gripe we may be giving up too much? It happens enough that yet another part of our heritage, our traditions, another part of our very identity is sacrificed for some nebulous reason on the off chance we might offend someone? It gets so that many of us feel we cannot speak at the risk of maybe giving offense. What aggravates us even more is knowing that if we were to visit or emigrate to any number of other countries we’d have to adapt to their ways, their laws, their values and traditions. There would be little to no accommodation of us.
Why are so many here so willing to sacrifice our heritage and traditions? Why are our ways less important than others?
I’m not a particularly religious person and I’m generally easygoing live-and-let-live by nature. I won’t push myself on others and I expect the same consideration in kind. That said there are things I strongly believe and there are things I value. I’m proud of my country even if I don’t wear my patriotism on my sleeve. I value our society governed by rule of law rather than by gun and intimidation—we generally settle our disputes in court rather than by gunfire and explosives. I value striving for fairness and equality between people regardless of gender, race or class. I get upset when I see someone being treated unfairly, exploited or pushed around. This gets to the heart of my ire—when we are asked or forced to sacrifice something we value without good cause.
This isn’t a debate on whether Christianity and Western values are actually under attack worldwide. But it must be said that said values have done a great deal of good in the world. And it cannot be denied that Canada was founded on said values and traditions—these are part of our heritage and our identity. These things are important and as such they should not be willingly sacrificed.
For decades I’ve lived and worked with many different people from around the world. What I’ve gathered is that most folks are essentially the same no matter where they’re from. They want a decent life for themselves and their families. They want fair opportunities. They’re concerned about earning their way and living amicably with their neighbours. And most of them are pretty easygoing and live-and-let-live by nature. And I never met one of them who expressed that Canada and Canadians should give up who and what they are. Indeed who and what we are is a major motivation for people wanting to immigrate here! They want to be more like us. They want to be one of us!
And so why are we in such a damned hurry to give up some of the very things that represent who and what we are? In the supposed interest of trying to avoid maybe offending someone else we are offending are forefathers and the values many of us hold even if we mightn’t express them openly and loudly.
For some years now my employer (among other businesses) has enacted a moratorium on Christmas décor of the workplace. Other than approved cheap and low-key cardboard seasonal signage it’s been established as “standard operating practice” that no overt holiday decorations be allowed in the workplace. This applies not only to a sales showroom, but also areas accessible only to employees such as offices and lunchrooms. And so: no Christmas decorating. Not a bit of garland, not a ribbon, not an ornament or light, not even a small and lowly Charlie Brown type Christmas tree tucked into an obscure corner. Nothing.
What is allowed? Well, besides approved seasonal signage you’re allowed to stress out due to increased business (with little extra help) and your employer is allowed to make at least forty percent of its annual earnings while not expressing that you share in the spirit of the season.
You don’t get one scrap of décor to look at to perhaps give you a smidgen of cheer in the midst of increased working stress and your employer gets to make extra bucks without having to brighten up the premises to give customers a more festive feeling to alleviate some of their holiday stress. At a time that’s supposed to be happy and to celebrate the more noble aspects of humankind we’re turning it into an blatant orgy of naked greed and overt consumerism. Season’s Greetings to you.
What the hell is all this for? Christmas has always been a mix of rituals as well as tied to some degree to commercialism, but it has long been hand-in-hand where one is free to observe whatever aspect one pleases. You can either observe strictly the religious meanings of Christmas and forego the gift-giving and overt commercialism or you can go neck deep into debt—it’s your choice—or you can observe the holiday in some manner somewhere in between as most of us do.
Christmas as we recognize it has many origins. It has become a mix of many rituals meaning different things to different people. And while it is technically a religious holiday that is not its only meaning. Christmas has become a celebration of what is best about us as well as what we are thankful for. And a key word here is celebration.
What is Christmas decorating all about particularly in a public space? Simply it is an act of shared celebration, a sharing of common values with our neighbours, our coworkers and in terms of business our customers. It is a shared celebration with our community. For a business not to decorate for Christmas, or to not allow its employees to decorate their workplace, is to say openly that our proclaimed values, our goodwill, our celebration are not shared. Still, thanks for your business and please come again. This is open hypocrisy and certainly doesn’t foster much if any goodwill among men.
From a purely human standpoint Christmas decorating is an expression of human happiness—a simple and inoffensive form of celebration. From a business standpoint it’s effective advertising. You are establishing a bond of common values and goodwill with your customers while encouraging them to be a bit more generous with their spending. Now how can any business not understand that? You’re keeping your employees happy as well as your customers.
Not everything can be reduced in terms of money, thankfully. And that is as it should be. There are things that transcend making a buck. They can be simple things that in the long run benefit you and in extent can, yes, help you make an extra dollar. But by denying us to decorate our workplace you are declaring we cannot express what we share with our fellows. You are denying a significant part of what our society and our way of life is supposed to represent.
In the supposed aim to potentially not offend someone you have actually offended many of us celebrating much of what our society stands for.
Oh yes, we’re certainly feeling the love…
