In the United States, the winter season is perhaps the most festive as people celebrate numerous religious and secular holidays between November and January. Holidays can be incredibly unifying as people celebrate together, share traditions, exchange gifts, and otherwise spread joy and cheer. On the other hand, the holiday season can be isolating and exclusionary to people who celebrate holidays that are not generally acknowledged in the mainstream, or those who do not celebrate holidays at all.
If you are a school or organization leader committed to creating inclusive spaces, below are ten tips that can help you do just that this winter holiday season.
1. Don't make assumptions. Even the best intentions can backfire if they are based on assumptions. Not all people who share a religion or ethnicity celebrate the same customs. Become familiar with what people in your space observe and how they celebrate (or don't celebrate) by asking them. A quick form or survey that allows for some open-ended input can go a long way in making people feel seen, heard, and included.
2. Create a shared multicultural calendar. This is not only important for the winter holiday season, but year-long. Letting people note times of personal and family celebrations will help your organization plan major events and initiatives at times that can be most accessed and will ensure that sectors of the population are not excluded. This visual of meaningful dates can also create awareness in your space.
3. Go beyond labels and titles. There is inclusive, and then there is fauxclusive- yes, I made that up. Changing the name of the Christmas party to "holiday party", but decorating only with Christmas trees and doing what has always been done is fauxclusive. Being inclusive requires changing practices and co-creating traditions.
4. Involve a diverse group in planning. Use what you have learned about colleagues, families, students, or other constituents to plan decorations, activities, and events. Make sure that those involved in planning are representative of the population the festivities are intended for. The goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion are not accomplished by defaulting to easy and past practices, rather by making sure all voices are heeded.
5. Be intentional. If for some reason, the work to include all the people who share the space has not been done, it's best to stay neutral. A neutral celebration may be decorated with snowflakes, for example, while an inclusive celebration would feature artifacts that represent everyone in the space. Both can spread joy and cheer; but inclusive spaces are created intentionally, not by happenstance.
6. Accommodate needs and provide alternatives. Everyone should feel comfortable in the climate of the space throughout this season and during events/activities. Inclusive spaces may designate a private reflection space that can be used by people who need a place for prayer, or just some personal space. Office/space decor should be either neutral or inclusive of diverse observations. Food at events should include options such as vegetarian and non-pork dishes. Be conscious of music choices. If an event is held off-premises, ensure that the venue is ADA compliant. Other considerations should be made based on stakeholder input.
7. Be transparent and share clear plans/program. There are likely people who either don't celebrate holidays, or don't participate in certain aspects of a celebration (such as drinking alcohol or singing/dancing). Having a clear program in chronological order will let people know what to expect and give everyone autonomy to choose what parts to participate in.
8. Make holiday events and activities optional. The holiday party should not be the venue for important announcements, promotions, or unveiling of opportunities. If an event is specifically a holiday celebration, allowing people to opt out without feeling stigmatized is an integral part of being inclusive. This is equally important for activities such as gift exchanges.
9. Collect feedback for continuous improvement. Collect timely feedback regarding events and activities with the option for anonymity. Results should be reviewed, shared with participants, and used to continuously improve the climate of the space.
10. Encourage sharing to help create awareness. Create purposeful opportunities for people to share about their observances and celebrations in non-solicitous ways.
Leaders of inclusive spaces must keep in mind that a majority is not of more importance than people in the margins. The more we learn about each other, the more we understand each other. Have a wonderful and inclusive holiday season!
Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims
Co-owner and Lead Consultant
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