Christmas is Coming
The Turkey's getting worried
He knows a week from Christmas day
He's going to end up curried!
So - everyone looking forward to Christmas? Well, everyone looking forward to the non-denominational holiday break we take at this time of year then?
No? Oh...
At our office we have a BIG fireplace. It's empty of fire. But.. what could we put in there to make the space look 'pretty'? We could put all sorts. We could put... a dried flower display (GROAN...) or a .. oh heck, I don't know, what could we put in a bloody great stone fireplace?
Well, one person suggested a lovely statue of Buddah. Well, it would look cool, to be sure. But would it be PC? In a workplace? I guess not. We even discussed it at a team meeting and decided that whatever went in the fireplace had to be by common consent. But - guess what! We ARE putting up Christmas decorations. Nobody has asked me if I accept this Christian tradition. No one has asked anyone if this is acceptable. We have non-Christians in our office, but they don't mind. We have athiests in our office, but I (whoops, gave the game away there) don't mind.
So, are we too polically correct? Or are we making assumptions because it is 'the season of goodwill' and therefore assumptions are acceptable? A good friend once said to me 'Don't assume, it makes an ass out of U and Me'. A better friend once said 'Don't make assumptions, it makes ass ... and umptions.'
So - Christmas is coming and the commercial world is rubbing its greedy paws together. And I will participate as a willing and able victim to both the commerciality and the forced bonhomie of the season. What I believe is, in fact, irrelevant. What my society chooses as acceptable, and my colleagues and friends choose as acceptable, is what is relevant. Because I choose to be part of this society. And guess what? I quite like it (the society that is - not Christmas - I HATE Christmas!).
