A competitor of mine did an awful thing this week: They fired a salesperson just days before Christmas.

It’s a stupid move on many, many levels. For starters, she was their only salesperson. Love them or hate them, you have to have sales staff. And by all accounts, this person worked her butt off.

But even more so, it was mean. If you want part ways with someone, and the holidays are approaching, there’s a right way and a wrong way. Do it in early — by Thanksgiving — or do it after New Years. But don’t do it the week of the Christmas, ensuring you not only spoil it for that person and their family, but also robbing them of an opportunity to quickly land on their feet (not too many job interviews take place over the next two weeks).

Now, I wouldn’t ordinarily make mention of a competitor: their business is their business. But since a competitor recently and publicly accused me of underhandedness — inaccurately and poorly, I might add — perhaps I’ve lost a little of the Christmas spirit myself.