The holidays can be a time of good cheer and good food! However, a curious side dish has made its way onto the social buffet of our country…eggshells.
Many people walk on eggshells this time of year out of fear of saying something that might offend others, such as that egregious wish of a “Merry Christmas” that strikes fear and loathing into the hearts of some.
November and December host many religious and cultural holidays including Ramadan, Denali, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, Las Posadas, New Year’s Eve and the Greek Orthodox Christmas, to name a few, with each holiday possessing their own unique and beautiful celebratory customs.
Communication is a critical component to understanding diverse ideologies, cultures and religious traditions. We should be working toward creating an environment where traditions and beliefs that differ from our own are respected, recognized and included, rather than conspiring to eliminate them from the public landscape altogether.
Inevitably, when we begin discussing information we know little or nothing about, mistakes can (and most likely will) be made. We should be patient and helpful with one another during this learning experience. Creating a consequence-free environment conducive to well-intentioned conversation can be a great step toward understanding and embracing cultures and philosophy’s that differ from our own.
Having the ability to confidently share appropriate holiday greetings with people of different cultures and beliefs can foster positive feelings among everyone. We all have a natural human desire for social inclusion. By opening up the dialogue to share and celebrate our differences, we also create an opportunity to share and celebrate our similarities.
Article also available on http://www.wkyx.com/
Many people walk on eggshells this time of year out of fear of saying something that might offend others, such as that egregious wish of a “Merry Christmas” that strikes fear and loathing into the hearts of some.
November and December host many religious and cultural holidays including Ramadan, Denali, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, Las Posadas, New Year’s Eve and the Greek Orthodox Christmas, to name a few, with each holiday possessing their own unique and beautiful celebratory customs.
Communication is a critical component to understanding diverse ideologies, cultures and religious traditions. We should be working toward creating an environment where traditions and beliefs that differ from our own are respected, recognized and included, rather than conspiring to eliminate them from the public landscape altogether.
Inevitably, when we begin discussing information we know little or nothing about, mistakes can (and most likely will) be made. We should be patient and helpful with one another during this learning experience. Creating a consequence-free environment conducive to well-intentioned conversation can be a great step toward understanding and embracing cultures and philosophy’s that differ from our own.
Having the ability to confidently share appropriate holiday greetings with people of different cultures and beliefs can foster positive feelings among everyone. We all have a natural human desire for social inclusion. By opening up the dialogue to share and celebrate our differences, we also create an opportunity to share and celebrate our similarities.
Article also available on http://www.wkyx.com/
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