Holiday Greetings

The holidays can be immensely personal. For many, holidays mean family traditions, long-held influential beliefs, and deep emotions. While none of those should be pushed on another person, no one should compel another to relinquish theirs, either.

So, how do we manage holiday traditions 'out in the world,' where others may have very different views of those holidays than we do? In short, it is acceptable to share your traditions with others (for example, to wish someone a 'Happy Hanukkah') as long as you are not doing so 'on behalf' of your place of employment, or you are not expecting someone to reciprocate your traditions to you.

Likewise, while it is appropriate to ask if traditions in your environment can be changed, if they are uncomfortable to you (as opposed to harmful), you should not expect them to be.

Instead, let's continue to learn from one another and to celebrate all voices (and holiday traditions) during this special season and all year long.