Christmas Cancelation Discussion Summary

1. Who is in your group? • Gráinne Dodd • Michelle Jones • Kevin Gallagher • Snezana Bechtina • Esther Garnica • David Fannin • Jim Timmins • Liam Carey • Stephen Horan • P.J. Kelly • Amauri Strabelli • Fergal Whitty • John Warde • Seham Mohamed

2. What was the topic you were discussing? • Canceling Christmas

3. How was it in the canteen? • Noisy • More space – better layout

4. How was it in the classroom? • Harder to focus • Layout bad – standing around • Hard to concentrate

5. What creativity techniques did you choose? • PMI • OPV • CAF • C&S • APC • AGO

6. For each technique how did you decide to use that one? • PMI: Decided because short a quick and easy to use • After we created a summary • CAF: Thought might be useful to focus in the groups • OPV: Easy to do • C&S: Makes you think about long term • APC: More interesting outcomes • AGO: Focused our thinking

7. Which technique(s) proved most effective? • PMI and CAF were the most useful

8. Which technique(s) proved least effective? • APC: Hard to think of reasons

9. What ideas reasons/ alternatives/etc. did you come up with ? • PMI: Plus: • Saving money • More money for other things • No queues in shops • No headache • No panic • No disappointment about getting presents you don’t want • Less to organise

10. What ideas reasons/ alternatives/etc. did you come up with ? • More study time • Less alcohol/hangover • Less travel • More productive at work • People won’t be paid as much in overtime etc. – good for companies • Less weight gain • Other religions wouldn’t have to put up with it • Seeing people you don’t want to • Less loneliness • No Christmas music in October • Less pollution • Less energy wasted

11. What ideas reasons/ alternatives/etc. did you come up with ? • PMI: Minus: • Don’t get to meet up with friends and family you wouldn’t otherwise see • No Santa for kids • No presents for everyone • Less spending in the economy • No temporary jobs created • No Christmas bonus / overtime • No nice atmosphere • People might get depressed if Christmas was cancelled • No Christmas party • No family time • Less charity • Less memories / family time • Nothing to look forward to in Winter • No time off work • No Christmas discounts / sales • No wonder / magic / fairytales in life • No Christmas movies • Losing a sense of celebration • No unwind time after long year • We will be held responsible for cancelling Christmas • No more turkey, ham and stuffing

12. What ideas reasons/ alternatives/etc. did you come up with ? • PMI: Interesting: • Christian holiday will still happen so other ways to mark Christmas will be created. More community based celebrations etc. • Help-lines might be needed for people who are very upset • Throw end of year parties instead of Christmas parties • Restructure of how holiday is considered / celebrated – shorter period of time • What would the aliens say? • Companies would need to forecast their year differently – major profits over Christmas would not be made • New ways of gift giving – making your own, recycling presents • Underground Christmas parties • Creating the wonder for children – storytelling etc. • Make New Year a much bigger celebration • Spend the money that would have been saved on yourself • Save the environment and the turkeys

13. What decision did you come to about the topic? • Keep Christmas, • but scale it back, • and don’t advertise Christmas until December.