Comments on: My annual rant about Christmas at work http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/12/24/my-annual-rant-about-christmas-at-work/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:47:54 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Holiday Aholic http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/12/24/my-annual-rant-about-christmas-at-work/comment-page-4/#comment-185641 Holiday Aholic Thu, 14 May 2009 22:25:10 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=1854#comment-185641 I think it comes down to how the office celebrates the holiday. If there are numerous religious references, group prayers, etc than it certainly crosses the line. But if it's more of a simple, all-inclusive celebration that doesn't get too specific other than the shape of cookies, than it isn't a big deal. I think it comes down to how the office celebrates the holiday. If there are numerous religious references, group prayers, etc than it certainly crosses the line. But if it's more of a simple, all-inclusive celebration that doesn't get too specific other than the shape of cookies, than it isn't a big deal.

]]> By: Cindy http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/12/24/my-annual-rant-about-christmas-at-work/comment-page-4/#comment-179398 Cindy Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:38:33 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=1854#comment-179398 That is a great idea. I use to work for a large company in Texas that had PTO but also gave traditional holidays. But it would be better to give those days as extra pto. Also time bank was a great way to control excess sick leave. More companies need to get on board! That is a great idea. I use to work for a large company in Texas that had PTO but also gave traditional holidays. But it would be better to give those days as extra pto. Also time bank was a great way to control excess sick leave. More companies need to get on board!

]]> By: Ann-Marie Cain http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/12/24/my-annual-rant-about-christmas-at-work/comment-page-4/#comment-179361 Ann-Marie Cain Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:08:30 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=1854#comment-179361 I was working for a very diverse company in Wisconsin (we're talking employees from all 50 states and 40+ nations) and they followed a traditional holiday calendar, despite the fact that huge numbers of the staff worked odd schedules (not 8-5, M-F). The executives "discussed" moving to a Personal Time Off program but never did it. I moved back down south and started working for a Catholic hospital who uses a Personal Time Off program and I love it. My family is Catholic so I do end up taking a few days around Christmas but I am not obligated to take any holiday I think is stupid (like Labor Day). It should be mandated that every business uses the PTO program! I was working for a very diverse company in Wisconsin (we're talking employees from all 50 states and 40+ nations) and they followed a traditional holiday calendar, despite the fact that huge numbers of the staff worked odd schedules (not 8-5, M-F). The executives "discussed" moving to a Personal Time Off program but never did it.

I moved back down south and started working for a Catholic hospital who uses a Personal Time Off program and I love it. My family is Catholic so I do end up taking a few days around Christmas but I am not obligated to take any holiday I think is stupid (like Labor Day). It should be mandated that every business uses the PTO program!

]]> By: Cindy Hoffman http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/12/24/my-annual-rant-about-christmas-at-work/comment-page-4/#comment-179239 Cindy Hoffman Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:25:59 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=1854#comment-179239 First let me preface by saying I am a devout Christian. Why is that important to my post, because mainstream christianity believes that we have to fight every battle presented, and I don't follow that premise. No where does it state we (as Christians) have to observce Chrismas in the Bible, in fact it doesn't appear there. I personally have no problem with someone wishing me Happy Holidays, rather than Merry Christmas. If anything Christmas is a retailers holiday :) However, any employer that wants to give me a "religous" holiday as a paid day off, bring it on. I will happily celebrate any and all religous holidays even those that have nothing to do with Christianity if it means a paid day off. Quit complaining, enjoy the time with your loved ones and celebrate it as you see fit. First let me preface by saying I am a devout Christian. Why is that important to my post, because mainstream christianity believes that we have to fight every battle presented, and I don't follow that premise. No where does it state we (as Christians) have to observce Chrismas in the Bible, in fact it doesn't appear there. I personally have no problem with someone wishing me Happy Holidays, rather than Merry Christmas. If anything Christmas is a retailers holiday :)

However, any employer that wants to give me a "religous" holiday as a paid day off, bring it on. I will happily celebrate any and all religous holidays even those that have nothing to do with Christianity if it means a paid day off.

Quit complaining, enjoy the time with your loved ones and celebrate it as you see fit.

]]> By: Joe Gartrell http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/12/24/my-annual-rant-about-christmas-at-work/comment-page-4/#comment-178948 Joe Gartrell Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:45:34 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=1854#comment-178948 Christmas is a Christian holiday...if you're not Christian, don't celebrate it. Quit whining about the holidays, etc. and go back to work. Christmas is a Christian holiday…if you're not Christian, don't celebrate it. Quit whining about the holidays, etc. and go back to work.

]]> By: deepali http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/12/24/my-annual-rant-about-christmas-at-work/comment-page-4/#comment-178942 deepali Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:20:27 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=1854#comment-178942 Last year I thought you were right on. This year, I worked on Christmas (from home, while cleaning and making dinner), and realized that instead of ranting about the office being closed, I was going to go ahead and do what I want anyway. The problem isn't Christmas. It's the culture at your particular corporation - if it weren't Christmas, there would be something else to complain about. The other problem, of course, is you (general). I don't take vacation for my holidays (I flex time), but if I did, so what? Doesn't religious faith require sacrifice? I would argue that my brothers and sisters in faith who take time off are cognizant of that fact, and are more pious as a result. My holidays don't get secularized and turned into an excuse to have a spending orgy. Let the Christians have the bastardization of their secular holidays. I'm secure in the self-recognition of my faith, and it's all the more beautiful because of it. Last year I thought you were right on. This year, I worked on Christmas (from home, while cleaning and making dinner), and realized that instead of ranting about the office being closed, I was going to go ahead and do what I want anyway.

The problem isn't Christmas. It's the culture at your particular corporation – if it weren't Christmas, there would be something else to complain about. The other problem, of course, is you (general).

I don't take vacation for my holidays (I flex time), but if I did, so what? Doesn't religious faith require sacrifice? I would argue that my brothers and sisters in faith who take time off are cognizant of that fact, and are more pious as a result. My holidays don't get secularized and turned into an excuse to have a spending orgy.
Let the Christians have the bastardization of their secular holidays. I'm secure in the self-recognition of my faith, and it's all the more beautiful because of it.

]]> By: Opiniated Bastard http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/12/24/my-annual-rant-about-christmas-at-work/comment-page-4/#comment-178938 Opiniated Bastard Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:00:25 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=1854#comment-178938 I think it comes down to this: Christmas is one, maybe two, days of vacation. Hanukkah is what, eleven? Someone, somewhere, squealed about that being unfair. It's a really shallow way to look at the problem, but I doubt it's any more complex than that. All the complexity arises from justifying the attacks against a perceived injustice, or business hoping to squeeze more time (money) out of it's employees. I think it comes down to this: Christmas is one, maybe two, days of vacation. Hanukkah is what, eleven? Someone, somewhere, squealed about that being unfair.

It's a really shallow way to look at the problem, but I doubt it's any more complex than that. All the complexity arises from justifying the attacks against a perceived injustice, or business hoping to squeeze more time (money) out of it's employees.

]]> By: Alice http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/12/24/my-annual-rant-about-christmas-at-work/comment-page-4/#comment-178937 Alice Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:55:54 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=1854#comment-178937 To someone who works at a company where everybody gets the statutory holidays off, and people of other religions get their religious holidays of on top of the stats and the floaters your argument does not sit too well with me. There are some people at my place of employment that get two or three weeks more holiday than I do to mark their religious observances, and they certainly do not work on the days that are "religious holidays" not of their religion. Alice To someone who works at a company where everybody gets the statutory holidays off, and people of other religions get their religious holidays of on top of the stats and the floaters your argument does not sit too well with me.

There are some people at my place of employment that get two or three weeks more holiday than I do to mark their religious observances, and they certainly do not work on the days that are "religious holidays" not of their religion.

Alice

]]> By: Rachel http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/12/24/my-annual-rant-about-christmas-at-work/comment-page-4/#comment-178920 Rachel Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:33:52 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=1854#comment-178920 There was a Christmas poll, and I missed it? No! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Penelope, for the voice of reason in this post and the past years' posts. Another season, another 20 party conversations with people who say things like "but lots of Jews have Christmas trees." I am a Christian, and I could not agree with you more on these issue. There was a Christmas poll, and I missed it? No!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Penelope, for the voice of reason in this post and the past years' posts. Another season, another 20 party conversations with people who say things like "but lots of Jews have Christmas trees."

I am a Christian, and I could not agree with you more on these issue.

]]> By: Erika http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/12/24/my-annual-rant-about-christmas-at-work/comment-page-4/#comment-178791 Erika Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:05:44 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=1854#comment-178791 In college* I tried to lead a movement against putting Christmas trees up in the public dorms. My biggest lesson: don't fuck with Christmas. It really pisses people off. * UW-Madison In college* I tried to lead a movement against putting Christmas trees up in the public dorms. My biggest lesson: don't fuck with Christmas. It really pisses people off.

* UW-Madison

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