As Thanksgiving comes to an end, we see the beginning of Christmas. Houses become decorated with lights and plastic Santa Clauses. Christmas music overcomes the radio, ugly Christmas sweaters become appropriate to wear in public, advertisements highlight the Christmas spirit. Everyone comes together to celebrate this joyous time. So what's it like to be Jewish during this time? While some adopt the Christmas spirit and traditions, my family chooses not to. We appreciate the beautifully decorated houses, the lovely Christmas songs, even some of the movies (Elf is always a classic). However, there's no tree in our house, no Christmas decorations, and no stockings on the mantel.
Sometimes it can be difficult to be part of a world consumed with the Christmas spirit. Feeling left out is definitely something that happens. Your friends at school will talk about their plans for Christmas or how they're decorating their tree. You'll joke and talk about your Hanukkah bush (unfortunately Hanukkah bushes are not real), but it's not the same. You may even feel like an outsider.
If you're lucky, Hanukkah will overlap with Christmas, as it does this year, so you'll have your own holiday to celebrate during the holidays. You'll get to talk about the presents you received just as your friends did, even though yours were spread out over eight nights. However, sometimes that's not the case and you'll end up celebrating the holiday earlier, sometimes as early as Thanksgiving (that was a weird combination of holidays).
It can be hard, there's no doubt about it, but at the end of the day remember what you're celebrating. While both Christmas and Hanukkah have been commercialized, remember the stories these holidays tell. Remember how the Maccabees won the war. Remember the miracle of how the oil lasted for eight days. As much as we may love the presents, remember what Hanukkah is really about. It's about celebrating our ancestors and our history. It's about being proud to be Jewish.
So, instead of thinking about how much you're missing without Christmas, celebrate being Jewish and being able to openly practice your religion, as others do not have that same luxury. Enjoy the Festival of Lights. Decorate your house with blue and white lights. Sing along to Adam Sandler's "Hanukkah Song." Wear your ugly Hanukkah sweater proudly (yes they are a thing). Eat an endless amount of latkes. Light your menorah all eight nights. And appreciate how lucky you are to be Jewish.
