December is a month of many holidays and celebrations, both religious and secular. Bright twinkly lights, cozy meals with family and friends and gift exchanges often bring hope and joy to many during this time of year.

Whatever the reason for celebration, it’s important to keep in mind that not everyone observes the same holidays.

Looking for some fun events at work? Check out 10 DEI Holidays Activities to do With Your Team

List of DEI Observances in December 2024

• December 1 World AIDS Day is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show support for people living with HIV, and honor those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. World AIDS Day was founded in 1988 and was the first ever global health day.

  
  

• December 2 International Day for the Abolition of Slavery focuses on eliminating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labor, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.

  📅Looking for an International Day for the Abolition of Slavery communications template to share with your team?

  
  

• December 3 International Day of Persons with Disabilities was established by the United Nations in 1992, and was born out of a vision to create inclusive and accessible societies where people with disabilities can live and thrive without ableist barriers.

  📅Looking for an International Day of Persons with Disabilities communications template to share with your team?

• December 8 Bodhi Day is a Buddhist holiday celebrated on December 8 which commemorates the day that Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha. Buddhists often celebrate by attending a religious service. Bodhi Day tends to be a quiet observance, with meditation, chanting and remembrance, rather than lavish festivities. Some families decorate ficus trees inside the home, with multicolor lights which can be a symbol of enlightenment. 

• December 8 Pansexual Pride Day is a day dedicated to celebrating and recognizing the pansexual community. It is represented by the pink, yellow, and blue flag. The pink stripe represents attraction to female-identified people. The blue represents attraction to male identified people, and the yellow stripe represents non-binary attraction.

  📅Looking for a Pansexual Pride Day communications template to share with your team?

  
  

• December 10 International Human Rights Day was adopted by The United Nations General Assembly in 1948, as part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). It states that every human deserves equal rights regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or sexuality.

  📅Looking for an International Human Rights Day communications template to share with your team?

  
  

• December 25 Christmas is celebrated on December 25 each year and commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ in the Christian faith. Countries around the world celebrate differently and incorporate different traditions, such as caroling in the U.S., gift exchanges with neighbors and fireworks in Argentina, heading to the beach in Australia or gifting apples in China. Many Christmas traditions include decorating a tree with lights and ornaments, hanging stockings by the fireplace, gift exchanges and feasting with friends and family. 

  📅Looking for a Christmas communications template to share with your team?

  
  

• December 25 to January 2 Hanukkah is a Jewish celebration and is observed each year for eight days and nights, and celebrates the victory of Maccabee over King Antiochus (he forbade the practice of Judaism). A candle is lit on the menorah each night of Hanukkah. Families exchange gifts, sing songs, recite prayers and play games. Latkes (potato pancakes) are a traditional dish eaten during the celebrations.

  📅Looking for a Hannukah communications template to share with your team?

• December 26 - January 1 Kwanzaa is a secular holiday that honors African heritage and is celebrated each year from December 26 to January 1. During this time, friends and family exchange gifts and light a series of black, red and green candles. Celebrations often include feasting with friends and family, storytelling, African drumming, songs and dance. 

• December 31 New Year’s Eve is celebrated by many cultures and religions around the world celebrate the beginning of the new year on January 1. New Years’ festivities often involve feasts with friends and families, acknowledgment of regrets and anticipations for the year to come, and public gatherings to count down the New Year. Remember that some cultures and religions follow the lunar calendar and thus observe New Years on days other than January 1st. 

Get started with free DEI resources

DEI Survey • Land Acknowledgement • DEI Commitment Statement • DEI Policy • DEI Observance Calendar

How to Celebrate December DEI Observances in the Workplace

Be inclusive

Christmas can take center stage when it comes to celebrations in December. Rather than wishing your co-workers “Merry Christmas”, opt for “Happy holidays”. Have a Holiday party rather than a Christmas party that incorporates traditions from a multitude of celebrations. Encourage employees to share aspects of the cultural or religious holidays that they observe. And make sure that holiday parties are optional, so that those who do not celebrate do not feel penalized for not attending. 

Be mindful

Be mindful when scheduling events in December to refrain from conflicts with different celebrations. In North America, it is standard for employees to receive time off for Christmas and it’s surrounding days even though many employees may not be Christian or celebrate the holiday. Acknowledge that employees might be observing other holidays than yourself. 

Be knowledgeable

Find out which holidays your employees celebrate in December.This could affect what time off your employees require, for observing religious holidays and can be useful when planning holiday events. You might want to send a card, e-mail or simply state your well wishes for the variety of celebrations your employees are observing in December. 

Let the December festivities begin

While December can be a month of fun and festivities, it is important that everyone in the workplace feels included. For some, religious or cultural holidays can be an important part of their faith and values. Make sure workplace holiday events incorporate aspects of a variety of December holidays. Spread awareness about different December holidays by acknowledging what your employees are observing. Learning about each other’s beliefs and getting to know one another is beneficial for all and improves engagement and collaboration.