What follows is from the Cornell AgriTech DEI Bulletin. Many thanks to our colleagues Anna Katharine Mansfield and Amara Dunn-Silver, Cornell AgriTech DEI Council co-chairs, who are taking such a strong lead with their DEI efforts. They write, “Like any group, DEI practitioners use jargon as a shortcut to convey specific meanings that may be unclear or confusing to anyone unfamiliar with the terms. As part of our DEI Bulletin series, we are exploring some key terms, concepts and practices that are important to DEI.” If there’s a topic you’d like them to explore, contact Anna Katharine or Amara, or you can submit a suggestion anonymously. This issue of the bulletin is especially timely, given the approaching election.
As you’ve gone about your errands over the last few weeks, you have likely been wished either “Happy Holidays”, or “Merry Christmas.” Which greeting you received may have stirred up some feelings for you. Or, you may have encountered others’ feelings about these greetings shared on social media or in-person.
Controversy over how we greet each other and the decorations we display in public places during the month of December is nothing new. The choice to shift from “Christmas” to “Holiday” greetings and decorations has been attributed to motivations ranging from intolerance to anti-religious sentiment to Communism for more than a century.
But what if the way we greet each other isn’t a statement for or against a religious belief, but a way to create spaces where everyone belongs? Wishing someone “Happy Holidays” can be a simple acknowledgement that we wish others well even if we don’t know which holiday(s) they celebrate this month. We live in a diverse society with diverse beliefs celebrated in diverse ways. To greet everyone with a “Merry Christmas” communicates – intentionally or not – that everyone does, or should, celebrate Christmas. In fact, the Cornell Office of Spirituality and Meaning-Making identifies seven major holidays celebrated in the month of December, and their list is not exhaustive. (Read more about religious holidays and accommodation at Cornell.)
So how should I greet people?
Don’t make assumptions about the holiday(s) others celebrate. When you don’t know, greeting someone with “Happy Holidays” is a great way to be more inclusive of all the celebrations observed at this time of year.
Personalize your greeting. If you know which holiday a friend or colleague celebrates in December – whether it is Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or another holiday – feel free to use a holiday-specific greeting. If you don’t already know, you might ask them what the common greeting is for their holiday, so that you can use it in the future.
Be curious. If a co-worker celebrates a holiday unfamiliar to you, take some time to learn about it. You might also ask them about their favorite holiday traditions or foods. Your respectful curiosity about traditions important to them shows that you value them and that they belong at AgriTech.
Practice grace. If someone greets you in a way that doesn’t resonate with how you celebrate this season, assume best intentions. It’s very likely that they are wishing you joy in a way that feels authentic to them.
At AgriTech we grow things, including the human urge to share joy in the dark of winter.