British Government Warns Against 'Merry Christmas' Greetings...

Staff at a Government department have been urged to avoid writing the words “Merry Christmas” in seasonal email greetings to avoid upsetting anyone.

Instead, employees at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) have reportedly been advised to stick to the more neutral term “Seasons Greetings”.

In a memo circulated around the department, recipients were also warned that images on their e-cards should not feature skin, according to The Sun.

 

The message, destined to bring accusations of cancelling Christmas raining down on the department, read: "As an organisation of multiple faiths and agnostics serving a community of the same and in the interest of inclusion, I'd avoid images with skin."

John O'Connell from the TaxPayers' Alliance told the newspaper: "This is tinsel-wrapped idiocy. Christmas is expensive enough for families without subsidising a civil servant to think up politically correct claptrap."

But a DECC spokesman denied any formal guidance about festive cards had been issued.

Moreover Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary, had used the word Christmas three times in his personal message to staff, he added.

The memo comes after it emerged that the equality and diversity team at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust had issued its staff with a set of guidelines intended to avoid legal action by any employees claiming they had been discriminated against because of the choice of timing, venue or catering for their Christmas events this year.

The briefing suggested choosing a time for the office Christmas party that was suitable for mothers so as to avoid being accused of sex discrimination and providing food that would be suitable for guests of all religions.

Neither DECC nor the NHS Trust is the first public body to face ridicule for an alleged excess of political correctness during the festive period.

In 1997 and 1998, Birmingham City Council ran a three-month promotional campaign called Winterval.

It included celebrations of Hallowe’en, Bonfire Night, Diwali, Ramadan, Eid, Hannukah, Advent, Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year.

Although never intended to serve as a substitute for Christmas, the term Winterval is still cited as a prime example of the so-called war on Christmas
.