Dates for December

With December upon us, what big events may affect our working lives this month?

Christmas is the obvious one for many, and if ever there was a festival that had different traditions and different dates for celebration, it’s this one! Whilst December 25 may be the official date, in some places it’s day off, in others it’s not. Some places give gifts on the 25th, some on the 24th and others wait until Twelfth Night (January 6, when the three kings came bearing gifts for Jesus). And there are offices that close for a day, others that close for two or three weeks. Others may not be celebrating in the same way as you date wise, even within the same company. It’s always worth asking, especially as it falls at the same time of year as the pagan Yule festival, which is celebrated in various guises around the World (often incorporated into other reliious ceremonies and festivals).

Another important date to watch this year will be Reconciliation Day in South Africa on December 16. With the passing of Nelson Mandela it will doubtless assume a new importance this year, possibly internationally.

Many Buddhists will be celebrating Bodhi day – the day the traditional  Buddha was ‘enlightened’. Often this will fall on December 8 (celebrated in places like Japan, where it’s known as Rohatsu). But others follow a moon calendar and the date will vary. (In parts of Asia, Theravada Buddhists commemorate Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death at once, in a May-time festival, Vesak Puja, and Tibetan Buddhists so the same at a festival known as  Saga Dawa Duchen, usually in June. The festival is marked by kindness and humility – and in many cases, days of meditation. Around 6-7% of the World’s population is Buddhist, primarily in Asia.

Every year we produce a Christmas/holidays cartoon. We hope you’ll enjoy this year’s!

And if you need any help avoiding the Santa effect (decision making/teamwork) or making global working work, we’re here to help.