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. 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 What ideas reasons/ alternatives/etc. did you come up with ?

10. 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 What ideas reasons/ alternatives/etc. did you come up with ?

11. 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 What ideas reasons/ alternatives/etc. did you come up with ?

12. 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 What ideas reasons/ alternatives/etc. did you come up with ?

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