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Christmas is a popular December holiday in Western cultures. Additionally, the month is a time of celebration for many groups other than Christians. To ensure your organization is fair and inclusive, it’s crucial to incorporate the full variety of holidays into your festivities.
However, being inclusive around holidays is not limited to December. For example, certain nations where Islam is the predominant religion may have a December holiday, but don’t celebrate a universal holiday that all Muslims observe at the year’s end. Holidays are a great opportunity to provide cultural education for all employees.
With a focus on inclusion, we’ll cover five December celebrations to consider in your holiday practices.
Bodhi Day
Buddhism is recognized as the fourth-largest religion globally, following Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Japanese Buddhism celebrates Bodhi Day on December 8.
The day recognizes when Siddhartha Gautama became enlightened to become the Buddha. His enlightenment was achieved after years of meditation and gaining insight into the nature of existence.
Bodhi Day isn’t celebrated globally on December 8. It occurs on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month in China, South Korea and Vietnam, where the date falls on Jan. 7, 2025.
Observances for the holiday include:
- Prayer
- Reading scriptures
- Special family meals
- Acts of generosity
Bodhi Day is a day that represents the themes of hope and overcoming suffering for those who practice Buddhism.
Christmas
Data from the Pew Research Center shows that 90% of Americans celebrate Christmas. Many people celebrate the holiday on December 25 each year, but 250 million Orthodox Christians observe Christmas in the first week of January.
Christmas can be inclusive of the various traditions created over the years. including:
- Counting down the days until December 25
- Setting up a Christmas tree
- Hanging Christmas stockings
- Decorating the home with lights
- Attending church services
- Exchanging gifts
Although Christmas is the most observed December holiday in North America, organizations must place guidelines on decorum to respect other holidays, traditions and religions. Workplaces should also consider non-religious employees who might celebrate the holiday as an annual gathering with loved ones.
Employers should place spending limits on gift exchanges and emphasize that participation in Christmas-related events is voluntary. Additionally, while each employee decides which greeting they use, the company policy should be to wish everyone happy holidays.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukah, is a Jewish holiday celebrating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. The eight-day celebration comes from what is recognized as a miracle, as there was only enough oil to burn the menorah’s candles for one day during rededication.
Its observance begins on the 25th day of the month of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar and falls on November or December of the Gregorian calendar. This year, it will take place from sunset on December 25 until the evening of January 2.
Hanukkah also features eight traditions. The traditions are:
- Lighting a menorah for every day of Hanukkah
- Displaying a lit menorah at home and publicly
- Playing the spinning top game, dreidel
- Handing out gelt. Chocolate gelt (Yiddish for money) is traditionally handed out to children
- Singing Hanukkah songs, such as the traditional songs Maoz Tzur
- Eating food cooked in oil, such as latkes
- Exchanging gifts
- Eating dairy foods
Kwanzaa
The day after Christmas, Kwanzaa, is observed as a week-long celebration for African Americans based on harvest festival traditions, primarily from West and Southeast Africa.
Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966 and created by Dr. Maulana Karenga. The holiday was conceptualized to promote more togetherness in the African American community.
Each of the seven days representing the principles of Kwanzaa are:
- Unity
- Self-determination
- Collective work and responsibility
- Economic cooperation
- Purpose
- Creativity
- Faith
Practitioners of the holiday take part in traditions that include:
- One of the seven candles of the kinara (candelabra) is lit each day
- Making homemade gifts
- Honoring elders and ancestors
- Having a dish from a different country of the African diaspora
- Enjoying a feast with family or a larger community celebration
Recognizing Kwanzaa’s historical significance is essential. But before organizing events showcasing its traditions, employers should engage with the community celebrating it. Due to its roots as a holiday for the Black community, majority-white organizations celebrating it may be viewed as cultural appropriation. Kwanzaa celebrations in the workplace must be approached thoughtfully.
Ōmisoka
Globally, New Year’s Eve holds significant cultural importance. Within Japan, it involves several traditions that honor the concept of “engi.” Engi translates broadly to luck. The day is culturally important as it sets a person up for the following year.
Year-end preparations are created with close attention to details. The intent is to tie up loose ends to prevent any misfortune in the current year from spilling over into the New Year.
Ōmisoka traditions include:
- Cleaning the home
- Repaying debts
- Bathing and relaxing before the final hours of the year
- Making meals before New Year’s Eve to allow for rest
- Family and friends get together for parties
Ōmisoka can be a fun version of New Year’s traditions to share with employees. It also provides an opportunity to challenge all involved to consider what they do and don’t want to carry into the New Year.