Ineke Doesburg’s Post

Today is Sinterklaas Day. With every major holiday, I take a moment to write a small note of celebration to my team. But today, I paused and reflected: Should I do it given the history of Zwarte Piet and the emotional pain it causes every year to the Black community? And the answer is: Yes, I did it! I focused my message on celebrating the childhood memories and joy of the holiday, also referencing international counterparts such as the Hungarian Mikulás or the Romanian Moș Nicolae, which tend to show up with less historical baggage. The dilemma I had is not uncommon when we aim to be inclusive and considerate, especially when organizing year-end activities for diverse groups. This is why I'm sharing a few tips that will hopefully make your inclusive decision-making process a bit smoother: ✨ Celebrate all cultures or keep it generic when you are not sure about someone's heritage or religious beliefs. ✨ Diversify food and beverage options and clearly label them, making the ingredients and allergens visible. ✨ Allow, when possible, for flexible attendance to respect individual needs and preferences. An event is not enjoyable when it is forced anyway. ✨ Make sure the venue is accessible (e.g., for wheelchair users) and inclusive of different needs such as lactation/praying rooms or spaces with low sensory stimulants, just to name a few. Check out this article I wrote if you'd like to dive deeper and learn more about organizing more inclusive events: https://lnkd.in/eECaq_GJ. And if you like it, a share goes a long way! What are your tips for making celebrations more inclusive? Drop your ideas in the comments below! Let's ensure everyone feels welcome and appreciated this holiday season. #Inclusion #Diversity #Sinterklaas #HolidayCelebrations #InclusiveEvents #CulturalAwareness #WorkplaceInclusion #CelebrateDiversity #InclusiveHolidays

This weekend we have our annual Christmas event. 🎄 We have put a lot of effort into turning our beautiful grade 1 listed Georgian townhouse into 'A Traditional Victorian Christmas'. Yesterday was a big final push by staff and volunteers to complete preparations. Using my initiative and experience working FOH/ Operations, I took on the 'unattractive' tasks, or as my manager put it "the tasks that no one else thinks about but that without, despite how much effort we put into making things look amazing, we just wouldn't have an efficiently run event". ● Creating signage to improve way-finding around the musuem to each activity. ● Writing briefing notes for the FOH team to ensure they have all the communications required to be able to deliver excellent customer service to our visitors. ● Developing the rota for all team members, allocating roles, and scheduling breaks to ensure activities are sufficiently staffed at all times. ● Cleaning and tidying the staff and volunteer kitchens to ensure we all have a comfortable space to have a break, including stocking up on milk and biscuits. ● Placing event feedback forms around the various activity areas to encourage visitor feedback. ● Printing lanyards for additional volunteers supporting us for this event so that everyone is identifiable and feels part of the team. ● Sending communications to all those supporting the event regarding timings to arrive for briefing, where they can park, and what is required of them on the day. ● Setting up the floats for the front desk and café, and charging the card machines and radios. ● Stocking up the toilets with toilet roll and paper towels, and emptying the bins. Ticket sales are selling well, and so I'm looking forward to leading Operations for these hopefully busy and exciting few days. Farnham Maltings #museum #museums #Christmas #Christmasevent #event #Victorian #Georgian #VictorianChristmas #museumevent #Operations #frontofhouse #FOH #volunteers #volunteermanagement #eventmanagement #visitorexperience #visitorexperiencemanagement #Farnham

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at NYLCV! Here are a few tips to help you be mindful of the environment while celebrating.

Thought of the day#4 New Year’s Day, celebrated on January 1st, marks the beginning of a new calendar year. It’s often a time for reflection on the past year, setting resolutions for personal growth, and celebrating with family and friends. Traditions vary worldwide, including fireworks, feasts, and cultural rituals. Many people take the opportunity to embrace fresh starts and new possibilities. In many cultures, this day symbolizes renewal and hope. Common customs include making New Year’s resolutions, which are personal goals for improvement. Some traditions involve specific foods believed to bring good luck, such as black-eyed peas in the Southern U.S. or grapes in Spain, where people eat twelve grapes at midnight for good fortune. Festivities often include parties, parades, and fireworks displays, with major cities hosting large-scale events, such as the famous Times Square ball drop in New York City. In some countries, the day is marked by solemn observance, while in others, it’s a time for joyous celebration. The way people celebrate can vary significantly depending on cultural and regional practices, showcasing the diverse ways humanity welcomes new beginnings. At the end Happy New Year enjoy your day and you have a wonderful year ahead!

NewJeans, 2025 SEASON'S GREETINGS This is the 2025 Season's Greeting from Newjeans. Although it is in dispute, it seems to have been released normally according to the year-end cycle, as seasonal greetings are usually planned and produced in advance. Therefore, Min Hee-jin's name is listed as the producer of the seasonal greeting. In fact, it is likely to be the last seasonal greeting to be released under the Newjeans name, as they have chosen a protracted dispute rather than a settlement. However, Newjeans' seasonal greetings have always had a fun concept. This time, they introduced the concept of 'fairy association' using the once popular low-quality product design as a reference. In particular, the design idea of recording personal information using the Hwanghwa file, which is commonly found in offices, as a reference, was fresh and familiar to office workers. Unfortunately, we won't be seeing seasonal greetings with this idea until next year. The group called Newjeans will also be temporarily suspended, and legal disputes will be the only news. That's what makes the 2025 Newjeans Season's Greetings all the more special. #KPOP #NEWJEANS #MUSIC #뉴진스 #케이팝 https://lnkd.in/gzTnKeJ7

🎶  Sinte, Sinte Maarten Every November 11th, parts of the Netherlands—and other European countries—spring to life with the enchanting tradition of Sint-Maarten (St. Martin's Day). This festive day honors Saint Martin of Tours, a Roman soldier turned bishop, renowned for his compassion towards those in need. His enduring legacy is highlighted by a memorable act of kindness: sharing his cloak with a freezing beggar. Here are 5 interesting aspects of this tradition, shared by our colleague Jytte Weeda: 🎨✂️ Lantern Making and Preparations: As the day draws near, children eagerly prepare for the festivities by creating unique, handmade lanterns and practicing songs at school. 🔔 Door-Knocking Adventure: In the evening, children venture out to visit neighbors, joyfully singing and collecting treats—but only once their songs have been performed to completion! 🎶 Songs: At each door, children sing traditional tunes like "Elf November is de dag" Sometimes, they get creative by crafting their own songs or even adding dances to their performance. 🏡 Festively Decorated Homes: Homes that participate by giving out candy often decorate their entrances with beautiful lights and autumn-themed items, creating a warm welcome for the children 📍 Regional Celebrations: It's worth noting that Sint Maarten isn't celebrated throughout the Netherlands. It's especially popular in provinces such as Groningen, Utrecht, parts of North Holland, North Brabant, and Limburg. However, participation can vary even within neighborhoods in these regions. What traditions do you cherish during the fall season? 🍁

For the digital marketers, social media managers, and those looking to celebrate diversity as November 1st & 2nd roll near, "Day of the Dead" is *not* exclusive to Mexico. Often, people laud the holiday as a "Mexican tradition" – which isn't wrong, per se. However, it's important that we recognize a few things: 🧡 It is celebrated by several other countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, and even Haiti 🕯️ The holiday goes by several different names, even within Mexico. Some examples include: Dia de los Muertos, Dia de Muertos, Dia de los Difuntos, Dia de los Finados 💀 It is NOT of "Aztec" origin, as many articles claim. While many of the most commercialized icons of the holiday are indeed of Nahua origin, the holiday itself is not exclusive to "the Aztecs". It was imposed on many indigenous communities by the Catholic Church before Mexico was ever established. 🏵️ It is NOT celebrated the same, even within Mexico. The use of cempasuchiles, the sugar skulls, even pan de muerto, is very regional and dependant on the community. Traditions vary by state, environment, neighborhood, and even by household. While Disney has popularized specific traditions, it is not universal and shouldn't be treated as such. Where Oaxaca might use marigolds, El Salvador uses colorful paper flowers. Where Ciudad de Mexico might use a cinnamon bread with "bones", Puebla uses bright pink sugar. At the end of the day, how you celebrate Dia de Muertos is up to you. But if you're going to honor the holiday as part of the marketing campaign, keep in mind what your goal is: Are you really looking to celebrate diversity and promote cultural education? Or are you looking to *appear* culturally aware, without worrying about the details. #diademuertos #diadelosmuertos #diversity #culture #latinx

The presentation of a gift is almost as important as what’s inside the box. We can help guide you through the intricacies of Japanese culture! https://loom.ly/3v_fbtk #japaneseculture #insidethebox #presentations #presenting #eventprofs #eventindustry #exhibitionindustry #exhibitprofs #meetingprofs

What are your New Year's eve traditions? In the UK we have a range of traditions which vary, but here are some common ones: 🙌 Auld Lang Syne: At midnight, people join hands and sing "Auld Lang Syne," a traditional Scottish song. 🙌 Fireworks: Many cities and towns have spectacular fireworks displays at midnight. 🙌 Parties: People gather with friends and family for parties, often with food, drinks, and music. 🙌 Kissing at midnight: Kissing your loved ones at midnight to celebrate. 🙌 Making New Year's Resolutions: It's a common tradition to make resolutions for the new year, such as quitting smoking, losing weight, or learning a new skill. What traditions are common in your country? (p.s. here's a picture of me and my partner and a new type of beer he found) #NewYearsEve #TraditionsAroundTheWorld #MidnightCelebration #CulturalTraditions #NYE2023 #CelebrateTogether #EndOfYearCelebration