Inclusive Holiday Practices: Five Simple Ways to Make the Holidays Welcoming for Everyone

Use welcoming words like “Happy holidays” or “Season’s greetings,” and learn which dates matter to the people around you. Here are some of the celebrations coming up this season:

• Nov 8
  Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities

  Diwali

  The Festival of Lights celebrates the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Families light clay lamps (diyas), make rangoli designs, share sweets and visit loved ones. Sikhs also mark Bandi Chhor Divas on this day.

• Nov 24
  Sikh community

  Guru Nanak Gurpurab

  Sikhs celebrate the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism. Gurdwaras hold prayers and readings of the Guru Granth Sahib, and serve langar, a free community meal open to everyone.

• Dec 4–12
  Jewish community

  Hanukkah

  The eight-night Festival of Lights remembers the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. Each night, families light one more candle on the menorah and enjoy foods fried in oil, such as latkes and doughnuts.

• Dec 8
  Buddhist community

  Bodhi Day

  Many Buddhists mark the day Siddhartha Gautama reached enlightenment under the Bodhi tree and became the Buddha. People observe it with meditation, study, kindness and simple decorations such as lights on a fig tree.

• Dec 21
  Many cultures

  Winter Solstice

  The shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Many cultures mark it, including Yule, the Chinese Dongzhi Festival and the Persian Yalda Night, with family meals, candles and the hope of longer days ahead.

• Dec 25
  Christian community and many others

  Christmas

  Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus with church services, carols and family meals. Many people of all backgrounds also enjoy it as a cultural holiday of giving, decorating and time together.

• Dec 26–Jan 1
  African diaspora communities

  Kwanzaa

  A week-long celebration of African heritage, family and community, created in 1966. Each day honours one of seven principles, such as unity and creativity, and a new candle is lit on the kinara.

• Jan 7
  Many Orthodox Christian communities

  Orthodox Christmas

  Orthodox churches that follow the older Julian calendar, including many Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean and Serbian communities, celebrate the birth of Jesus on January 7, often after a period of fasting, with church services and a family feast.

Dates are for 2026–2027 and can vary by community. Many observances begin at sundown the evening before. When in doubt, ask.

Try this

Add these dates to your team or class calendar. A shared calendar helps everyone plan ahead and shows people their days matter.

• Add each date as an all-day event.
• Note when an observance starts the evening before.
• Share the calendar with your team, class or household.

Ask about dietary needs, label each dish, and include vegetarian and non-alcoholic options. Some guests may eat halal, kosher, vegetarian or vegan food, avoid certain ingredients, or be fasting.

Try this

Add one line to every invite.

Sample invite Join us for our holiday lunch on Friday at noon! Any dietary needs we should know about?

Then label every dish , like this sample:

Vegetable samosas Vegetarian · Contains wheat Jerk chicken Halal · Spicy Sparkling punch Non-alcoholic

Invite everyone, require no one, and keep gift exchanges optional. Some people do not celebrate for religious, cultural or personal reasons, and some may be on a tight budget this time of year.

Try this

Offer a way to join in without buying a gift. Pick one or two of these:

• A shared card everyone can sign.
• A potluck dish instead of a gift.
• A group donation to a local food bank.
• A “kind words” jar with notes for each other.

Check the calendar before you pick a date, and choose a space everyone can use. In Ontario, organizations also have a legal duty to accommodate religious observances, such as time off for a holy day, unless it would cause undue hardship.

Try this

Check the dates above before you set a deadline, exam or shift schedule. Then check the space:

• The room is step-free and has an accessible washroom.
• There is a quiet space for prayer or a break.
• People can join online if they cannot attend in person.
• The event ends early enough for people who travel or fast.

Invite people to share a dish, a story or a song if they want to, and never put anyone on the spot to speak for a whole culture or faith.

Try this

Host a potluck with name cards that say why each dish matters to the cook.

Sample name card Jollof rice Shared by Ada
“My family makes this for every big celebration. It tastes like home.”