If you were working in an office with 5 people (who enjoy Christmas) and you were the only Muslim (or any other religion that is offended by Christmas) and your boss said no christmas deco is allowed in the workplace, would you not feel like a right twit? I mean would you not feel like that because of you, the people you work with are not allowed to have a little festive spirit? I know I would hate myself and I would beg my boss to let the others have their fun.
2006-12-05 00:09:46 · 19 answers · asked by Luvfactory 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
This is one of my most hated subjects! We have to change our ways in our country for other people when they come over here and push their religion in our face. I think people should be allowed to follow traditions! It's no longer abour religion for most people anyway. It's more about the season of festive cheer and goodwill and doing silly things you wouldn't normally get away with!!
2006-12-05 00:19:20 · answer #1 · answered by Coco 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It probably depends on the kind of work environment you have. If you have a very open work environment (open cubicles etc) then they probably don't want you decorating because technically your space is everyone else's (meaning in their view). However, I have my own office and I put a tree up in it.
We have a muslim on our floor and he just abstained from decorating. Course, I live in the Bible belt... There's a christmas tree in our lobby.
You know - the white house has a christmas tree, I'm sure there are Jewish or non-christmas celebrating people in Washington DC.
People just need to understand that the majority of people in the US celebrate Christmas - for whatever reason - and that the majority dictates the culture.
I wouldn't go to Isreal or a Muslim country and demand they put up a christmas tree in their town square - or take down their holiday decorations for Hannukah.
You live in a majority christian country, you're going to come across christian culture.
2006-12-05 02:08:55 · answer #2 · answered by Rainy Days and Mondays 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're absolutely right to feel aggrieved and as starlet108 points out you are legally within your rights to celebrate Christmas as a Christian. The only trouble is companys are petrified to allow anything as some of the repercussions of this type of issue have been nonsensical to the extreme, and it's difficult for a manager to decide either way.
However, speaking as a manager myself, just put them up and state your case.
Chances are they'll get taken down for health and safety reasons in the end though!!
2006-12-05 00:25:23 · answer #3 · answered by PvteFrazer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's stupid. Christmas to most people is about giving and being festive with others, not for a religious reason, so really it shouldn't offend anyone!!
The people that it does offend are pathetic. Sure it started being a celebration of Christ, but at that time it wasn't all tinsle and xmas trees!
Enjoy this season for what it is, a celebration of the people you know and love.
2006-12-05 00:14:11 · answer #4 · answered by zanoshi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't say that it's because of you that the people aren't allowed to decorate; it's your boss' policy. I suspect that your boss would have the same policy no matter how many Christians and/or Muslims were in the office. And I think it's quite respectful of the boss, actually.
2006-12-05 16:48:12 · answer #5 · answered by drshorty 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would be cautious to follow the advice of those who said to just put up your decorations anyhow.
Yes, it is your right to celebrate whatever you wish whenever you want, but the company you work for has a defined set of rules, and as with all jobs, if you don't follow the rules you may be risking your job.
You may want to go to your boss and ask if you can decorate for the season, not the holiday. That may fly. If your boss were to allow for decorating of the holidays, would you be offended if the Muslim decorated for theirs as well? It's a double edge sword.
I'm the only person at the place I work that is not Christian, and our boss allowed us to decorate, she just requested that I be allowed to place a few things from my faith up as well. No one was upset, and the display has turned out very nicely.
2006-12-05 00:43:34 · answer #6 · answered by AB 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They are afraid of getting sued by the ACLU. This organization has really screwed the USA big time. But take heart, there is a cultural war going on and the traditionalists are going to win over the secular progressives.
I Cr 13;8a 12-5-6
2006-12-05 00:13:10 · answer #7 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Christmas is about Christ. The Holiday Season is about the Holidays. Christmas is one of those holidays, but so is Channukah, Kwanzaa, and Ramadan (I think). I'd say decorate with a wreath, snowflakes, snowmen, etc. and save the Nativity set/menorah/crescent for home.
I'm frustrated too by the sensitivity around Christmas. It makes me furious that there can be the Menorah and Crescent but not a CHRISTMAS TREE which isn't even a Christian symbol?!?! WTF??? *phew, glad I got that off my chest*
2006-12-05 01:52:18 · answer #8 · answered by GLSigma3 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd put them up myself, around my own workspace, if the whole room was out of bounds. It's still a secular holiday, and should be treated as such - let's face it, how many Christmas trees with tinsel and fairies on top did Jesus (if he ever existed as more than a minor political agitator in Judea under the Romans) advocate?
2006-12-05 00:24:11 · answer #9 · answered by bouncingtigger13 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The place I worked last year said exactly that - myself and a few others took our own decs in and put them up. When asked why we said it was our civil right as Christians to put them up and it raised staff morale. We were allowed to leave them up xx
2006-12-05 00:12:39 · answer #10 · answered by starlet108 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋