Christmas e-learning and on-hold scripts

[On screen: Holiday decorating safety - Ladders] Every December, someone in an office decides the garland would look better a little higher. And every December, someone reaches for the nearest chair. So let's start there. A chair is not a ladder. Neither is a desk, a box or a filing cabinet. If you need to reach something high, use a step ladder from facilities. Before you climb, check that it's fully open, the locks are in place and all four feet are on a flat, dry floor. Keep three points of contact. That means two feet and one hand, or two hands and one foot, on the ladder at all times. Don't stand on the top step. And don't lean out to reach. If you can't reach it, climb down and move the ladder. Whenever you can, ask someone to hold the base. The garland can wait thirty seconds. You'll be glad it did.

[On screen: Holiday decorating safety - Lights and cords] String lights make the office feel festive. They also put a lot of plugs, wires and heat in one small space. So before you plug anything in, take one minute to check. First, look at the cord. If you see cracks, bare wire or loose bulbs, don't use that string. Put it aside and let facilities know. Second, check the label. Some lights are made for indoor use only. Don't put them outside, and don't put outdoor lights around a desk. Third, don't overload the outlet. Plug lights into a wall socket or an approved power strip, and don't link strip into strip. Keep cords out of walkways, and never run them under rugs, where heat can build up and no one can see damage. Finally, the most important step. Switch the lights off when you leave for the day. The building's empty. Nobody needs to see them twinkle at midnight.

[On screen: Fire safety in the winter months] We get it. The days are short, the office is cold, and a scented candle on your desk would make it feel a lot more like home. But open flames are not allowed anywhere in our buildings. That includes candles, oil burners and incense. That is the rule, and it doesn't change in December. If you want the look, battery-powered candles are fine. They flicker, they're warm-looking and they won't set off anything. [On screen: Space heaters] Now, space heaters. Personal heaters are only allowed if they have been approved by facilities and carry an approval sticker. An approved heater should have automatic shut-off if it tips over. Plug it directly into a wall outlet, never into an extension cord or power strip. Keep at least three feet of clear space around it. That means no paper, no coats over the back of your chair and no cardboard boxes under the desk. And turn it off every time you leave your desk, even for a meeting. [On screen: If there is a fire] If you see smoke or fire, raise the alarm, leave by the nearest exit and don't stop to collect your things. If you're cold, talk to us. We would much rather fix the heating than fix a fire.

[On screen: Holiday party - Ground rules] The holiday party is one of the best nights of the year. Good food, a bit of music and a chance to talk to people from other floors without a spreadsheet between you. We want you to enjoy it. So here are a few things to keep in mind. It's still a work event. The same conduct policy applies at the party as it does at your desk. Be respectful, include people and keep the jokes kind. If you choose to drink, pace yourself. There will be plenty of non-alcoholic options, and nobody needs to explain why they're having one. Plan your way home before you arrive. If you've been drinking, don't drive. Taxi vouchers are available at the coat check, no questions asked. Photos are great, but ask before you post a picture of a colleague online. [On screen: Speak up] If something happens that makes you uncomfortable, at the party or afterward, you can talk to your manager, to HR, or use the confidential line on the intranet. You won't get in trouble for raising it. That's it. Eat the little sandwiches. Dance if you want to. See you there.

[On screen: A message from Dana Whitfield, Chief Executive, Larkspur Logistics] Hi, everyone. Before we all head off for the holidays, I wanted to take a couple of minutes to say thank you. This was a hard year. We opened two new warehouses. We changed the system every one of you uses every single day. And in March, when the storm took out the power in Ridgefield, I watched a team of forty people load trucks by flashlight so customers got their orders on time. I didn't ask anyone to do that. You just did. That's the thing I'll remember about this year. Not the numbers, although the numbers were good. It's the people who stayed late, covered a shift, or trained someone new when they had their own work to do. To the new people who joined us this year, more than three hundred of you, welcome. You picked a busy year. I mean that. Thank you. Next year will bring its own surprises. I'm sure of it. But I'm not worried, because I know who I'll be facing them with. So please, take the time off. Switch off your email. Be with the people you love. And I'll see you in January. Happy holidays.

[On screen: A message from the Okafor family, Copper Kettle Hardware] Hi. I'm Ben Okafor. My wife Grace and I have run Copper Kettle Hardware for twenty-two years. We don't usually do videos. Our daughter set this up. So bear with me. We just wanted to say thank you. This year a big store opened up out on the highway, and honestly, we weren't sure how things would go. But you kept coming in. You bought your paint from us. You asked us how to fix your faucet, and then you came back to tell us it worked. You kept the lights on. We know that. The store will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day, so our staff can be home with their families. Every other day, we'll be here. From all of us at Copper Kettle, have a wonderful holiday. And bring your faucet in any time.

Thank you for calling Juniper Lane Market. Here are our holiday hours. On Christmas Eve, we're open from seven a.m. until four p.m. We're closed on Christmas Day, so our team can be with their families. On the twenty-sixth, we're back to our regular hours, seven a.m. to ten p.m. On New Year's Eve, we close at six p.m., and we're closed on New Year's Day. To place a holiday platter order, press 1. To hear these hours again, press 9.

You've reached Pinecrest Family Medicine. Our office is closed for the holiday and will reopen on Monday, December twenty-eighth, at eight a.m. If this is a medical emergency, please hang up and dial 9-1-1. If you need to speak with the on-call provider, please press 1, and your call will be returned. For prescription refill requests, please use the patient portal on our website. From all of us at Pinecrest, we wish you a safe and healthy holiday.

Thank you for calling Ridgeview Pharmacy. Our holiday hours are changing this month. On December twenty-fourth and December thirty-first, the pharmacy counter closes at three p.m. We are closed on December twenty-fifth and January first. To make sure you don't run out over the holidays, please request refills at least three business days early. To request a refill, press 1. To speak with a pharmacist, press 2. For our address and regular hours, press 3.

Thanks for holding. We're busier than usual this time of year, and a member of our team will be with you as soon as possible. While you wait, here's a quick reminder about holiday shipping. For delivery before December twenty-fifth, please place standard shipping orders by Thursday, December seventeenth. Express orders can be placed until Monday, December twenty-first. And if you've left it really late, our next-day option is available until noon on Wednesday, December twenty-third. You can track any order on our website, under My Orders. It's often the fastest way to see where your parcel is. Looking for a gift for someone who's hard to buy for? Our e-gift cards arrive by email within minutes, any day, right up to Christmas morning. Thanks for shopping with Fernhill Home Goods. We'll be with you shortly.

[On screen: Will it get there by Christmas?] Every December, the same question. Will it get there in time? The answer depends on three things: when you order, how far it's going and which shipping option you choose. When you place an order, it doesn't go straight onto a truck. First, our warehouse has to find it, pack it and label it. In December, that can take a day or two longer than usual, because everyone's ordering at once. Then it's handed to a carrier. From there, it travels through sorting centers, onto local trucks and, finally, to the door. Standard shipping takes a slower, cheaper route. Express takes a faster one. So every shipping option has its own cut-off date. Order before it, and you should have your package by Christmas. Order after it, and it may still arrive, but we can't promise. [On screen: The simple version] Here's the simple version. Find your shipping option on our holiday page. Check the date next to it. Order before that date. And if the date has passed, don't panic. Choose a faster option, or send a digital gift card. It arrives in minutes, and nobody has to wait by the door.

[On screen: Peak season safety - Lifting] Peak season is here. Over the next six weeks, this building will move more boxes than in the rest of the year put together. That means more lifting, more reaching and more hours on your feet. And it means back injuries go up every single year. So let's take two minutes to do it right. [On screen: Before you lift] Before you lift, look at the box. Check the label for weight. Give it a gentle push with your foot. If it's heavier than you expected, or awkward, get help or use a cart. Clear your path first, so you're not stepping over anything while you carry. [On screen: The lift] Stand close to the load, with your feet about shoulder width apart. Bend at your knees and hips, not at your waist. Keep your back straight and your chest up. Get a firm grip with both hands. Lift with your legs, smoothly. No jerking. Keep the load close to your body, around waist height. And when you need to turn, move your feet. Don't twist at the waist. [On screen: Speed is not the goal] We know the targets are high this time of year. But speed is not the goal. A box that arrives one minute later is fine. A back injury can take months to heal. If anything hurts, stop, and tell your team lead straight away. Small aches are easier to fix early. [On screen: Take your breaks] Take your breaks. Drink water. Stretch at the start of every shift. You're going to do a lot of lifting this season. Let's make sure you do it all the way to January.

[On screen: Winter driving - Refresher for drivers] This time of year, you'll be driving more stops, in the dark, in weather that changes by the hour. Here's what to keep in mind. [On screen: Before you leave] Walk around your van before every shift. Clear all the snow and ice, not just a hole in the windshield. That includes the roof, so it doesn't slide down when you brake. Check your lights, your wipers and your washer fluid. [On screen: On the road] Slow down. Posted speed limits are for dry roads. Leave much more space than usual between you and the vehicle in front. On snow or ice, it can take several times as far to stop. Brake gently and early. Sudden braking or steering is what causes skids. Keep your phone in the mount, and use the app only when you're parked. [On screen: Black ice] Watch out for black ice. It's a thin, clear layer that looks like a wet road. It forms first on bridges, overpasses and shady spots. If the road looks wet but there's no spray from other tires, treat it as ice. If you do start to skid, ease off the gas, don't slam the brakes, and steer gently where you want the front of the van to go. [On screen: At the stop] At every stop, the walk to the door can be the most dangerous part. Wear your traction cleats. Use the handrail. Don't run. [On screen: Rest] Long days are tiring, and tired drivers react more slowly. Take your breaks, eat something and don't skip sleep before an early shift. [On screen: You can always stop] And remember. If conditions get too bad, pull over somewhere safe and call dispatch. No package is worth a crash.

[On screen: Holiday returns - Seasonal team training] After the holidays, you'll see a lot of returns. Some people will have the receipt. Some won't. Some will have a gift that's already been opened. Here's how to handle each one. [On screen: Extended returns window] First, the good news. Anything bought between November first and December twenty-fourth can be returned until January thirty-first. That's longer than usual, and customers appreciate hearing it. [On screen: With a receipt] With a receipt, the customer gets a refund to their original payment method. Simple. [On screen: Gift receipt or no receipt] With a gift receipt, or no receipt, we offer store credit for the current selling price. If the customer is unhappy about that, stay friendly and explain why. You might say: Without the original receipt, I can't send money back to the card it was bought on. But I can give you the full current value to spend today. [On screen: Opened items] Opened items can be returned if they're complete and undamaged. If something's missing or broken, call a supervisor before you decide. [On screen: Ask for help] You won't remember every rule on your first day. That's fine. If you're not sure, call a supervisor. Nobody minds. The customer would much rather wait a minute than get the wrong answer.

[On screen: Welcome to Hearthstone Outfitters] Welcome to the team. Whether you're here for a few weeks or hoping to stay longer, we're really glad you're here. Let's be honest about one thing up front. The next six weeks are our busiest of the year. The stores will be full. The lines will be long. Some days, you'll go home tired. But you won't be doing it on your own. [On screen: Your first week] In your first week, you'll shadow an experienced team member. You'll learn the registers, the stockroom and where everything lives on the shop floor. Nobody expects you to know it all on day one. You'll get a name badge and a lanyard on your first day. Wear both. It helps customers find you, and it helps us learn your name. You'll get a schedule two weeks in advance. If you need to swap a shift, use the team app, and check with your manager before it's final. [On screen: What we ask] We ask three things. Be on time. Be kind to customers, even the stressed ones. And ask for help as soon as you need it. [On screen: What you get] In return, you get a staff discount from your very first shift. You get paid breaks on every shift over four hours. And at the end of the season, every seasonal team member in good standing is considered first for permanent roles. [On screen: You matter] You're not just extra hands. For a lot of our customers, you'll be the person who helped them find the right gift for someone they love. That matters. Now, go find your team lead. They're expecting you.

[On screen: Holidays around the world - Hanukkah] Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that lasts for eight nights. It's sometimes called the Festival of Lights. A long time ago, the Jewish people won back their holy Temple in Jerusalem. They wanted to light the Temple's lamp, but they found only enough oil for one day. The story says the oil burned for eight days instead. That's why families light candles on a special candlestick called a menorah. On the first night, they light one candle. On the second night, two. And so on, until all eight are glowing. There's also one extra candle, called the shamash, or the helper. It's used to light all the others. Many families eat foods cooked in oil, like crispy potato pancakes called latkes, and jelly doughnuts. And children often play with a spinning top called a dreidel. Can you count to eight? That's how many nights of light there are.

[On screen: Holidays around the world - Kwanzaa] Kwanzaa is a celebration of African American culture and family. It was created in 1966 by a professor named Maulana Karenga, and it lasts for seven days, from December twenty-sixth to January first. The name comes from a phrase in Swahili, a language spoken in East Africa. It means first fruits, which is a way of celebrating the harvest. Each of the seven days is about one important idea, called a principle. Ideas like unity, which means sticking together, and creativity, which means making things beautiful. Families light candles in a holder called a kinara. There are seven candles: three red, three green and one black in the middle. One more candle is lit each day. Many families share a big feast near the end of Kwanzaa, and give small gifts, often handmade. Which idea would you choose to celebrate? Unity, or creativity?

[On screen: The winter solstice] Have you noticed that it gets dark very early in winter? Sometimes it's dark before dinner! That's because of the way the Earth is tilted as it travels around the sun. In winter, our part of the world leans away from the sun, so we get fewer hours of daylight. The day with the least daylight of all is called the winter solstice. In the northern half of the world, it happens around December twenty-first. Here's the surprising part. On that very same day, in the southern half of the world, in places like Australia and Argentina, it's summer. And it's their longest day of the year! For thousands of years, people have celebrated the solstice with fires, lights and gatherings, because it means something hopeful. After the shortest day, the days start getting longer again. Little by little, the light comes back.

[On screen: Christmas around the world] Christmas is celebrated in many countries, and every place has its own traditions. Let's take a trip! [On screen: Mexico] First stop, Mexico. Here, many families celebrate Las Posadas. For nine nights, from December sixteenth to December twenty-fourth, people walk through their neighborhood, singing and carrying candles. They act out the story of Mary and Joseph looking for a place to stay. At the end, there's often a party, and a piñata! [On screen: Sweden] Next stop, Sweden. On December thirteenth, Swedes celebrate Saint Lucia's Day. Often, a girl dresses in a long white gown with a crown of candles on her head, and leads a procession of singers. It brings light in the middle of the dark Swedish winter. [On screen: The Philippines] Now, the Philippines. Here, the Christmas season is one of the longest in the world, and it starts as early as September! Homes and streets are decorated with bright star-shaped lanterns called parols. They're often made of paper, bamboo or shells, and some light up in every color. [On screen: Your turn] So many ways to celebrate. Does your family have a special tradition in winter? Draw a picture of it, and share it with the class.

[On screen: Saint Nicholas] Long ago, there was a man named Nicholas. He was a bishop who lived in a land that is now part of Turkey, and people remembered him for being very kind and generous, especially to children. Today, in many parts of Europe, people still celebrate him. In the Netherlands, children look forward to the evening of December fifth, when Sinterklaas brings gifts and treats. In Germany and some nearby countries, children clean their shoes or boots and put them by the door on the night of December fifth. In the morning, December sixth, they find them filled with nuts, fruit, chocolate or a small gift. Many people believe the story of Saint Nicholas helped give us the idea of Santa Claus. Even the name Santa Claus comes from Sinterklaas. If you put your shoe by the door tonight, what would you hope to find?

Welcome to Winter Wonders: Toys from a Century of Holidays, here at the Alder Valley Museum of Childhood. This is Stop 1, the Toy Train Room. Take a moment to step up to the large glass case in the center of the room. [pause] Inside, you'll see a tin toy train winding through a snowy village. The engine is painted red and gold, and it's pulling five cars. Now look closely at the third car. Can you see a small dent on its side? Hold on to that. We'll come back to it. This train was made around 1925. Toys like it were expensive, and many families saved up for a whole year to buy one. This one belonged to a boy named Walter Price. He got it for Christmas when he was seven. He played with it every December for the rest of his life, and when he was ninety-one, his granddaughter gave it to the museum. Now, about that dent. Walter told his granddaughter that he dropped the car down the stairs on the very first morning. He cried for an hour. His father hammered it nearly straight, and Walter said he never wanted it fixed properly after that. He said the dent reminded him of his dad. When you're ready, follow the paper snowflakes on the floor to Stop 2.

This is Stop 4. Wish You a Merry Christmas, by Post. In front of you is a wall of holiday cards, some more than a hundred and fifty years old. Start at the far left, with the small card in the gold frame. It's a copy of what's often called the first commercial Christmas card. It was ordered in London in 1843 by a man named Henry Cole. He was a busy man with a lot of letters to answer, and he wanted a quicker way to send Christmas greetings to all his friends. So he asked an artist, John Callcott Horsley, to design a card he could have printed. Look at the center of the picture. A family is gathered round a table, raising their glasses. Underneath, it says: A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You. Not everyone approved. Some people at the time felt that a picture which included a child sipping wine was a bad example. Now move your eyes along the wall to the right. You'll see the cards change over the decades, from robins and holly, to snowy villages, to cartoon reindeer. Cheaper printing and cheaper postage made cards popular with everyone, not just the wealthy. If you're visiting with family, see if you can find the card with the dog in a paper hat. It's our visitors' favorite.

[On screen: Setting your out-of-office in Brightpost Mail] Going away for the holidays? Here's how to set an automatic reply, so people know when you're back. Open Brightpost Mail and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Choose Settings, then click the tab called Automatic Replies. Switch the toggle to On. Now set your dates. Pick the first day you're away, and the day you're back. Your reply will switch itself off when you return. In the message box, keep it short. Say when you're back, and who to contact if it's urgent. For example: I'm away until January fourth. For anything urgent, please contact Priya in the support team. If you'd like a different message for people outside the company, click the second tab, Outside Contacts, and add it there. When you're done, click Save. That's it. Now you can actually take the time off.

[On screen: Gifts and hospitality - Holiday season] Around the holidays, it's common for suppliers and partners to send gifts. A box of chocolates. A bottle of wine. An invitation to a dinner or a game. Most of these are simply a kind gesture. But because some of us make decisions about which suppliers we use, we need to be careful. A gift should never create the feeling, or even the appearance, that a decision can be bought. [On screen: The rule] Here's our policy. You may accept a gift worth up to fifty dollars from any one supplier in a year. Food or treats meant for the whole team, like a basket of cookies, are fine to share. You may not accept cash, gift cards or anything that can be turned into cash, at any value. If you're offered something worth more than fifty dollars, or an invitation to an event, please check with your manager first, and log it in the gift register on the intranet. [On screen: A simple test] If you're ever unsure, ask yourself one question. Would you be comfortable if everyone knew about it? Your manager, your team, the other suppliers who lost the contract? If the answer is yes, it's probably fine. If you hesitate, ask. And if you need to turn something down, you can do it kindly. A simple thank you, and a mention of our policy, is all it takes.

[On screen: Holiday potluck - Food safety] The office potluck is a holiday favorite. Before you bring your famous dip, here are a few simple tips to keep everyone feeling good. Start with clean hands. Wash them with soap and water before you cook, and before you serve. Keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Use a slow cooker or warming tray for hot dishes. Put cold dishes, like salads or dips, on ice or back in the fridge. Here's the most important rule. The two-hour rule. Food that needs to stay in the fridge shouldn't sit out at room temperature for more than two hours. After that, put it away or throw it out. Label your dish, especially if it contains nuts, dairy, eggs or gluten. Your coworkers with allergies will thank you. And please, bring a serving spoon. Every potluck runs out of spoons. Enjoy the food.