The holiday season is upon us and it seems to me that bringing back the emotions and magic of the holidays is needed now more than any time in our recent history. The gift of well wishes and civility is the spirit that makes the holidays twinkle for some many and it is a gift that we can all give. The vision of children with their hopes and wide eye curiosity at the hustle and bustle of the holidays reminds us of what pure joy looks like and it seems that many of us need that reminder. Everyone has their own celebrations and history of the holidays and that is what makes the collective experience that much more special. The world can benefit from the joy and belief in the spirit that holiday greetings bring families, friends, and maybe more importantly, people you don’t know.
My holiday emotions center around the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Every year, for more than 30 years, no matter where my family was or what we did the night before, we all wake up early to watch the parade. Even though my kids are in their 20s, I am still touched by the sparkle in their eyes and the smiles on their faces when the “real Santa” closes the parade. It is not the anticipation of presents but the value of family coming together to enjoy each other and share the comfort of traditions. The smell of Thanksgiving dinner is never finished until it leads to a discussion of what we all have to be thankful for—watching the kids grow from wishes for Christmas presents to thoughts of goodwill for their friends and family is a holiday legacy that will always be treasured.
I wish all of you a wonderful holiday season, a belief in the goodness of your fellow man, the delight of hugs and kisses from your loved ones and most importantly, the magic you feel when you make another person believe in themselves and the gift of humanity.
-Mike Zorn
Author bio:
Mike Zorn is the VP of Workplace Strategy for Workjam. In his role, he works with client companies to develop strategies, using the Workjam Digital Workplace, to empower and engage their hourly workforce. Prior to joining Workjam Mike spent 30 plus years with Macy’s Inc. the last 15 as the Senior Vice President of Associate and Labor Relations. His responsibilities included culture and employee engagement development, internal branding and communications, employee and labor relations strategy for the Macy’s enterprise.
