So it’s the day after Thanksgiving. Spruce trees both big and small appear everywhere they accept Visa and Amex. Twinkling lights string across window panes and doorways and hundreds of men in red suits and fake beards flock every street corner…wait, never mind, that’s only Times Square. Our world is immersed Christmas spirit (thanks Cindy Lou Who), but for a select handful, our main event of the season is Hanukkah.
Hanukkah is really only a tiny dot in terms of the endless amount of Jewish holidays, but because it falls right around the time of Christmas, people try to make lighting the candles just as special and relevant to the holiday season.
I find it strange how others don’t seem to believe those who practice Judaism don’t take part in the Christmas celebrations. It’s truly amazing how many times I’ve heard, “Wait, you don’t celebrate Christmas? Why not?”
Why not? Because I am not Christian, that’s why not. People seem to forget that Christmas is religious and while most of the planet breaks out their stockings, we break out our yarmulkes. Some people even try to make Christmas sound better. They usually start with how they have a Santa Claus. What are we supposed to say to that? Mazel tov? Or how they’ll talk about how they hope it snows Christmas morning. Well, we hope it snows the first night of Hanukah too because it’s winter and snow is awesome. Just because Christmas gets all of the hype, does not mean that it’s any better than any other holidays. It is just simply different.
Instead of the tree, we have the menorah in representing the burning of oil over eight days. Some really cool rebels called the Maccabees, fought to take back the land that was stolen from them. They had to purify the Temple in Jerusalem after the battle and the oil they burned lasted eight days. Now that is some quality, high-class oil they had there.
Then, there’s the dreidel. This four-sided spinning top branded with Hebrew letters is used in a game of chance in order to win chocolate gelt. This brings out the inner completive side of the extended family kind of like what happens when you try to play a family game of Pictionary or Twister. Things can get pretty ugly when grandpa’s dark side comes out.
This is all happening while we stuff our faces with Latkes which are basically a grease pancake with a little potato thrown in. This greasy, greasy treat is usually paired with applesauce. Why? No one really knows.
Even though we don’t have a Santa Claus or the magic of waking up to presents that you will probably go return for something better the next day under the tree, we still have some pretty cool traditions with the people we love spending time together which is what the holiday season is all about anyways. So whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, or another holiday, I’m sending you my love and wishes that it’s a good one.
