Actually instead of what kind of practice what age range are your patients? Are you located North or South. Where we are food and drink are not allowed in medical offices especially no coffee. So Keurig would not be allowed. Fruit not allowed either.
I was not “personally offended” at all. People were giving opinions of what they like and what they don’t like and I did the same. I said it wouldn’t appeal to me but I would in no way be offended, just as I wouldn’t be offended if it were decorated in Star of David and menorahs, or Christmas trees and stockings or whatever the choice of the business that owns or leases the space.
The problem is you will never please everyone. Even in this thread you have some that want no reminders of celebration if they are having a difficult time and others who find signs of celebration uplifting during difficult times. Thus, I find no offense in any of the above. To each his own!!!
I think @gearmom in post #20 brings up an important point. There seem to be a wide variety of customs and expectations in different areas of the country with offices, health care, etc. I learned this all too abruptly when trying to transfer my urban life experience to a more rural state far away and help an elderly relative.
Definitely Not mistletoe.
In regard to magazines, if this is a doctor’s office- please have something besides medical magazines. Those are the last thing I want to read while waiting. As for decorations- I like greens with red berries, figurines of birds with stocking hats,mittens…that sort of thing.
Thanks all, for the input, guys I will stick with generic. Or patient population is healthy 65-75 yo. We do have magazines, a friendly staff, and because it is a large research study, the " patients" are volunteering their time to come in. We are trying to make it as pleasant as possible.
I work in a health care setting. In fact I visit at least 2 dozen medical offices on a regular basis. Christmas trees, lights, etc. are pretty common. Hospital lobbies most always have a decorated tree - my home base has an ENORMOUS tree and also a winter scene with lighted deer, greens, etc. (it really is a bit MUCH!).
IMO the decorating is not only for the patients but for the staff - it’s a team activity and the sign of a friendly, compassionate team - the fact that they want to decorate and be festive. Of course, there are also often decorative regulations depending if you are associated with a health system.
That said, I like the focus on winter - then you can leave it up for awhile and not have that awful task of having to quickly pull everything January 2. You could consider a Christmas tree…but decorate it with all winter related things or colors like icy blue and silver.
Live stuff is always nice - big poinsettias and wreaths don’t shout Christmas but make an office look festive.
Sorry…but big poinsettias and wreaths DO shout “Christmas”. Folks of other faiths don’t use those.
Go for snow theme. Then you won’t have to switch it out in January!
Oh I would think poinsettias are pretty non-secular.
Poinsettias are definitely associated with Christmas. One of the alternative names for the poinsettia is “Christmas Flower.”
Our earth is off axis if people truly get offended by a plant. My husband is laughing and said just wait and see, Christmas trees will be next thing to be on the banned list. Close your eyes if you walk into our office…we have red flowered plants and a tree with lights and ribbons and shiny balls.
My office has a raggedy looking fake Christmas tree with some old decorations. The company is historically Jewish, so we also have a menorah that one of us Jewish people lights each night about half and hour before we leave so the candles go out before we do. Rumor has it that we are getting a new tree this year and my boss (Catholic woman with a Jewish husband) asked people to bring in decorations. I have about 800 things of tinsel because H loves it, so I may try to get rid of a couple.
My office also has a couple of Mr. and Mrs. Santa dolls that are put up and one guy puts a thing on his door that plays a song when you open it. It’s one of those holiday songs that’s not particularly Christian. I’m Jewish and I don’t get offended.
As for the OP, I would appreciate Reader’s Digest or People magazine at the doctor’s office. I prefer light, idle reading in that setting.
The quality of the magazines in a waiting room is inversely proportional to the time you have to wait.
So is the decor.
Don’t make me wait long…and honestly, I won’t care what is in the waiting room.
Maybe it’s just me but just like I have no emotional attachment to last names, I’m not strongly attached to religion. I really enjoy seeing and being invited to celebrations of all kinds. I just like celebrations. So if your office was completely decked out for Kwanzaa, Festival Diwali, Hanukkah or whatever, I would simply enjoy the decorations. I love being invited to a Muslim dinner or having tea with Jewish friends who have their house done up with decorations made by their little girl. When our neighbors from India, light their house for the Festival of Lights, I simply find joy in the awaited tradition.
@gearmom, the problem is that I cannot recall a single instance of an office being decorated for Kwanzaa, Diwali, or any other non-Christian holiday. It would be great if they were! 
@momofthreeboys I don’t think anyone was talking about being “offended” by a poinsettia, for doG’s sake. They were simply calmly pointing out that they are, in fact, specifically associated with Christmas and only with Christmas, at least in places where they don’t grow wild.
As far as I’m concerned, what you are doing by erecting this straw man is dismissing the fact that traditions other than your own exist, so that you don’t have to consider acting as if you and yours are not alone in the world. This is not uncommon in our nation. Some people who are members of the prevailing religion want everyone else to just be laid back about their desire to insert it into public life, but when others finally say “no thank you” or ask for a mild level of inclusion, they start talking about persecution.
It’s like the old saw that the women’s movement has no sense of humor. Not thrilled about your highly sexist humor? "What’s your problem? can’t you take a joke? "
I can assure you that religious minorities in the US, like atheists, are completely accustomed to public observance of theology and holidays they don’t share. If not, we would spend life in a constant state of outrage. I don’t think anyone here was saying they would be offended, I think they were just saying that they would be indifferent. If the goal is to make them feel happier and more at home in the waiting room, it wouldn’t work for them.
There was an amusing incident here years ago. One of our ministers agreed to offer a prayer/blessing at the public opening of a new, very major bridge between Portland and South Portland. Afterwards, some outraged “Christian” wrote a letter to the editor complaining that what she said was irreverent and irreligious, etc. Ironically, the minister, a UU Christian, had quoted directly and at length from the book of Isaiah!
Consider the budget and make whatever you do really nice. I like well-placed full poinsettias and that would be enough for me.
My bank HQ lobby has two bountifully decorated artificial trees and some giant pinecones in an arrangement and poinsettias in sleek planters. Looks great. Our department will have a tree and garland fully decorated in blue and white. Also, I think menorah are beautiful, especially the modern silver ones. Each person is free to decorate their work area. I have a little plaque on my glass wall, two others have strung lights on their work spaces. The garland will go on the file cabinets. We don’t get outside visitors.
Some people are offended by anything, or nothing at all. Given that you can not please everyone, I would do whatever makes you and the rest of the staff happiest as you are likely far longer in the surroundings than anyone else visiting the office. If anyone asks, just say this is what makes you happy and you are thrilled you are able to share it with anyone. Shared happiness is a good thing. When it was my kid’s birthday, she brought cupcakes for everyone in the dorm. She understood that not everyone was sharing her day’s celebration, but wanted to offer cake to anyone who wanted to share her happiness. She has happily received all sorts of treats and trinkets from kids of all different religions, ethnicities and cultural traditions and has always enjoyed the participation.
When I walk into a waiting room for a doctor’s office I want something calming. I don’t want to wait.
I want sweet receptionists. I want to pick up a current magazine.
Just saying-- I HATE waiting rooms. I hate them when I’m not even the patient!
My dentist’s group office is styled as a “camping lodge” complete with fireplace. Every dental chair has a view outside with trees. And it works for me. It’s a total facade (you’re still in a dental chair!) but a good one.
They do everything possible to relax the patient. And I really appreciate it.
At Christmas (or any other holiday time) nothing changes --they don’t need to. They maintain an excellent atmosphere the entire year round in an effort to decrease your angst. The only difference is a “have a good holiday” on your way out.