To quote John Lennon, "So this is Christmas …" but it's also Hanukkah and Kwanza, following close by with the Diwali (Indian) and 'Id al-Fitr (Muslim) festivals.

For virtually everyone in our state, holidays are a special time, whenever in the year they occur. In a state as diverse as New Jersey - the most diverse in the country - it is not only educational but interesting and fun to take a moment to hear and learn the messages that our neighbors or business colleagues are sharing through their holy days.

Because of our diversity and the density of our population, which brings us closer together in our everyday activities, we can be paying more attention and making more of an effort than in any other place in the nation to understand each other's celebrations and their meaning.

If we're lucky, we can be sharing in the festivities held in our multicultural communities. In fact, in New Jersey we are fortunate to have a mixture of holidays to celebrate. Many of our schools recognize the value of multicultural celebrations and encourage students to bring in traditional foods, games and stories that spark students' interest in and understanding of their classmates' heritage. Increasingly, to their credit - and to their benefit - our multiethnic communities are being more sensitive to all their residents and are expanding their celebrations to feature the variety of heritages within their borders. Many workplaces have similar activities.

How can we be celebratory yet respectful of all during the coming weeks? First, we need to be aware of all the various holidays. At the American Conference on Diversity, we pride ourselves on being a resource on the state's diversity and welcome inquiries on the variety of ethnic and religious observances. Many of the larger companies in the state have the knowledge and resources to recognize the variety of holidays celebrated by their employees year-round. At smaller companies, human resource managers or company owners might find that asking employees what they would like to do about holiday decorations or celebrations not only helps them address what can be a sensitive issue but also can help promote a sense of community within a company, especially in one comprised of employees from many different backgrounds.

With a bit of exploration, we can make each holiday time educational as well as celebratory, instructive as well as inspirational, meaningful as well as momentous.

Especially at this time of year, but at any time, for information about interfaith holidays, we invite visits to AmericanConferenceonDiversity. org.

Meanwhile, to every reader, in every language, for every holiday celebrated, we extend our warmest wishes.

Diane Schwartz

President and CEO American Conference on Diversity

New Brunswick