There is lots of
discussion this year about the first night of Chanukah. It falls on Christmas
Eve. That makes many people happy. Me? I say, "Ugh.
I've spent the past 19 years trying to
separate the two.
When we received the invitation to attend the Chanukah celebration at our Synagogue, to be held a week early, I was confused. Why would a Jewish congregation be celebrating an 8-day-long holiday a week early? Just because it falls on Christmas? I called the Rabbi to ask. She told me that is a logistical thing. Most people have plans during the break. The kids are off from school, so they visit family, go on a trip, hang out with friends, or go to a movie. No one wants to commit to coming to Synagogue that week. So, despite my confusion, we went to the celebration. Many families brought their menorah; we did not. They were given the option to light 1 candle, all of the candles, or none. It was…odd.
Gifts
Our kids have always
received Christmas gifts on Christmas morning (ostensibly only items that would
fit in a stocking - that didn't last long). When they were younger, just like
every kid who celebrates Christmas, they came bouncing into our bedroom before
dawn to tell us it was time to see what Santa had brought. For Chanukah, they
receive a gift a night - usually some combination of a big gift on the first
night and small gifts on the other 7 nights. We often give them the option to
open all of their gifts on the first night or spread them out through the 8
nights, but they have to agree. It has never happened that they agree to get
them all in one night, so we went with a gift a night. If Christmas and
Chanukah overlap at all, they generally don't receive a Chanukah gift on Christmas Eve
or Day.
On Christmas
morning, there is never any huge pile at our house, but there are overflowing
stockings. Gifts, as you know, are expensive. So, we decided long ago that we'd
give the kids little gifts and treats on Christmas and maybe one big gift.
Then, we save the other big gifts to be from Mom and Dad for Chanukah. So, when
the holidays overlap, I am always hoping that the gifts we gave them would
balance each other out.
The Pleasure of Gift-Giving
However, when
Chanukah comes before Christmas and exists as a holiday unto itself, I find
great joy in the gift-giving experience. Lighting the candles each night brings
our family together. Everything stops - before we sit down to dinner - as we
sing the blessings and light the candles. Then, when the kids receive one gift,
they enjoy that gift for a full 24 hours! During the years of hot toys, they
may even get them before the other kids.
Christmas Eve
 |
| Second Cousins |
 |
| Cousins |
Tonight is Christmas
Eve! Our family loves Christmas Eve. We spend it in the warmth of my niece's
home with her family and quite a few of my other nieces, nephews, and great
nieces and nephews, my brother and a sister-in-law. In years past, my parents
were there. Gift-giving is at a minimum, and the night is centered around
simply being together. Two years in a row, my daughter made a decision to
go/not go on a trip because she didn't want to miss Christmas Eve/Day with my
family. (More on that later this week.)
1st Night of Chanukah
Tonight, before we
leave, we will set aside time to light the candles on the menorah. We'll
probably choose the small fast-burning candles, so that the candles have a
chance to burn all the way. In years past, when we have been in the midst of
Chanukah, if we lit the candles at all on Christmas Eve, it would be after we
came home. However, the first night is always special.
 |
| First Night |
Everyone knows the
song "The Twelve Days of Christmas." The days leading up to Christmas
are busy, busy, busy. Baking, shopping, and wrapping consume us. Then, the week
after Christmas is spent visiting with friends and family, relaxing, and just
spending time with your spouse and children. This year, the entire 8 nights of
Chanukah will fall during the window of Christmas Eve to New Year's Eve. Me? I
say, "That's a shame." When the 8 nights fall in early to
mid-December, my family gets 8 nights to stop everything and be together for
the 15 minutes it takes to celebrate the holiday that night. We'll still do it
this year, but it will be before or after a movie, wedged in during Eve's - an
afterthought. I'll miss that moment in time this year.
Happy Chanukah! Merry Christmas!
No comments:
Post a Comment