Before I proceed, I must admit something to you all:
I am a bit of a Scrooge.
I know, that may be a shock, but let it sink in…
So why am I writing this blog, you ask?
Because I can provide you with insight into the inner workings of a Scrooge’s mind!
Confession Time
Now, don’t get me wrong. I am by no means the worst scrooge of them all.
I’m more of a cynical Brit who thinks that Christmas is all about commercialism these days rather than the baby Jesus and whatnot.
(Although I’m not, myself, a religious man.)
On the other hand, I can appreciate the flowing booze and the cornucopia of fattening foods that are enjoyed all around the festive season.
It does have its upsides!
Nevertheless, some die-hard scrooges do exist, and you may even have one that’s terrorizing your office with their cries of “bah humbug!” or rather: “I’m sick of Home Alone being on every channel”.
Want to alleviate the suffering caused by your office scrooge?
Try a few of the following things.
Don’t let them bring you down!
It sounds obvious, but the easiest way to deal with an office scrooge is to try your best to ignore them.
Some people have legitimate reasons to hate Christmas, while others may just be negative and pessimistic people overall.
If the person you’re having to tiptoe around is essentially a year-round scrooge, then it may be best trying to avoid them altogether.
It sounds really “new-agey” to say this, but negative energies will bring you down.
Try to be around people who are excited or at least neutral about Christmas; no one wants to have their spirits dampened around the festive holiday season… or at all for that matter!
Ask them why they don’t like Christmas
Some people are just super negative and pessimistic.
Let’s be honest, we Britons have a habit of being a little “doom and gloom” about everything, especially when compared to our suspiciously merry transatlantic cousins.
However, some people may have actual reasons for their dislike of Christmas – so it’s really important not to judge and belittle those feelings.
Why not ask and find out for yourself?
You may get a generic answer, but you may get something a little more sombre.
Try to include them
Even the real Scrooge came around in the end, remember? I bet the Cratchet family loved that massive turkey he sent them!
It’s always worth trying to include your office scrooge around Christmas time, even if it’s in a casual and friendly manner.
Invite them to join in your office’s secret Santa scheme, or pull a cracker with them at your work’s Christmas party.
People don’t deserve to be “left out” just because they don’t like Christmas.
Even if they’re not interested in joining in with the festivities, they’ll surely appreciate the fact that you offered them the opportunity nonetheless.
Avoid rubbing Christmas in their face
Believe me, people who hate Christmas already have it rubbed in their face anyway.
As soon as the Halloween pumpkins have been shipped off to the tip, supermarkets start rolling in the Christmas crackers and suspiciously cheap advent calendars.
If there’s one thing you cannot escape in the Western world, it is Christmas.
Your office scrooge already has Christmas joy forcefully injected into their veins in their day-to-day life from November onwards.
Don’t play Christmas songs on repeat in your office; it’s only going to make them irate. And don’t mention Christmas every 5 seconds!
Let them get about their business and you get about yours.
Put yourself in their shoes
I think it may be worth trying to put yourself into your Scrooge’s shoes, in order to try and comprehend what he/she is feeling.
Imagine, for example, that you hate Reggae Music. You absolutely despise it.
Now imagine that for around 2 months of the year, TVs, radios, shops and offices absolutely bombard you with repetitive Reggae songs.
And Not only that, but the TV is constantly showing a bunch of Bob Marley documentaries and all the adverts are for Reggae Reggae Sauce, as the haunting image of Levi Roots hovers eerily above you.
You probably wouldn’t like it, would you?
Summary
I do hope you liked our blog about pesky office Scrooges – and it’s given you a little bit of insight into how to keep them happy.
If YOU are the office Scrooge… do lighten up a little bit.
You don’t want to be a burden, bringing everyone else down during this happy period… or do you?
Feeling festive? Why not have a read of these blog posts:
- How To Take A Chill Pill This Christmas
- 11 Ways to Make Extra Money at Christmas
- The 12 Recruiters of Christmas Every Candidate Will Know
- Job Seeking over Christmas? 5 Tips to keep you on track!
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