You know the moments I’m talking about.  The ones where you don’t know if you should say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Hanukah.”  Personally, my favorite is the face the host or hostess makes when they realize that every other hors d’oeuvre is either bacon or ham. They look so honestly stricken with grief that you hardly have the heart to tell them you don’t keep kosher.

I may not speak for the rest of “the tribe” but I am sick and tired of those awkward moments and want to offer some tips on how to avoid them:

Gentiles: Don’t Worry About What To Call The Holiday

Nothing makes for a more awkward moment than stopping mid-way through a hello or goodbye just to throw your hands up and realize you don’t know what to say. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Merry Crisma-Hanu-Kwanza. It doesn’t matter what you call it, just pick a greeting and get on with it.  We know you mean well and we’re not going to be offended if you accidently wish us a “Merry Christmas.”

Jews: Don’t Bring Things Like Manischewitz As Gag Gifts

It’s a proven fact that Jews like to laugh at themselves.  What can we say? It’s a copping mechanism that can usually cut through the awkward moments.  The only problem is that not everyone gets Jewish humor – particularly the irony of giving Manischewitz as a gift. Like any other inside joke, if you don’t want to explain it or worse yet, look like a complete idiot who has no taste in wine, its best to stick with humor you know everyone can apreciate.

Gentiles: If You Don’t Know What Hanukah Is About, At Least Know How To Pronounce It

It’s actually OK for Gentiles to not know what Hanukah is all about other than having something to do with candles and spinning top.  The only thing that you should know is how to pronounce it. It’s “Han” (like Han Solo) “Nu” (like your “new” pair of Pradas) “Kah” (like “kaw,” the sound a crow makes).  No phlegm, no hard “Ch” (like Chandler) – it’s just Han-nu-kah.

Jews: Stop Acting Like This Holiday Is A Big Deal

Compared to Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, Hanukah really isn’t a big deal.  Sure, a “great miracle happened” with the oil and the Jews won a military battle.  It’s a great story and it deserves to be told.  What shouldn’t happen is that we try to over-commercialize Hanukah in a fit of holiday “size-envy.” As long as we get the same days off work and it’s a reason for monetary bonuses – who are we to really complain?

There is no reason we can’t all enjoy and celebrate the final month of the year, together.  It’s a time for reflection, of merriment and, of course, copious culinary and alcoholic indulgences.  If we can’t come together over that and screw the political correctness of the holiday then we really shouldn’t be saying ANYTHING about the “spirit of the season.”

That being said; Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa and a bight and prosperous New Year!

Photo Courtesy of CarbonNYC

If I am bringing anything back with me from BlogWorld, besides about a dozen new t-shirts, it’s the fact that new media is dead. Then again, so is old media. The only thing that remains is media itself — beautiful, content-rich and unattached to any particular platform. At least that’s the current thought among digital media professionals.

It might sound like idealism, but it turns out there is a lot of value in viewing media this way, particularly if you work in PR or marketing.  With serious bloggers increasing their frequency of blogging 44% in 2011 and the shift in the way we consume content, one of the emerging trends is that bloggers no longer think of themselves as bloggers.  The new term is “digital publishers,” and they have a lot more clout than any of us ever imagined.

Sure, traditional dailies and magazines still command an important presence in media consumption patterns. However, all you have to do is look at groups like mom bloggers – and the marketing campaigns that now target them – to realize just how much power even a moderately popular online publisher can command. The difference is that the people behind these online publications have real relationships with their audience and are able to command more influence than traditional writers.

Another big outcome of this shift is the way online publishers view their dialogue with PR professionals. I spoke to literally dozens of online publishers over the course of the weekend and found that each one of them had encounters with PR professionals that left a bad taste in their mouths. That’s too bad – and so unnecessary.

Most prominently, online publishers complained that they received way too many “craptastic” press releases and not enough targeted outreach and collaboration.

Online publishers genuinely welcome the help of PR professionals, but they want to be talked WITH rather than talked TO. Their advice: start with casual introductions after doing serious research into how and why they write about their topic. After the initial relationship is formed, they are glad to talk about potential resources a PR professional might be able to provide that relate to their specific clients.

I took a bunch of these testimonials, which can be viewed on our BlogWorld LA YouTube Playlist. They all pretty much say the same thing – it’s not about being treated differently than traditional journalists, it’s about crafting content that speaks to the personal relationship the online publisher has with their specific audience.

Finally, I’ll say that BlogWorld is a great experience for anyone in the PR or media field.  At a minimum, if you don’t go for the experience or the education, at least you can go for the t-shirts.

Photo Courtesy of jmoneyyyyyy