Christmas lights all around.
I have two close
friends who, like me, are Jewish. Unlike me, they feel “excluded” at the sights
and sounds of Christmas.
We’re the kind of Jews
who don’t do “Hanukkah Bushes.” I’ve been guilty in the past of overdoing Hanukkah
presents for my kids instead of Hanukkah Gelt, the traditional giving of money
without fancy wrapping.
I now relish the
modesty and wistfulness of our holiday of winter lights with a single Hanukah
menorah and something fried.
My two friends
grew up in a Christmas majority culture. I had the advantage of having grown up
where Hanukkah was at home as well as on the streets, and Christmas was
something you had to seek if you wanted to spot any of it in certain quarters.
Hanukkah was
commonplace; Christmas was exotic.
For me, It still is, . I’m delighted looking at this celebration of lights, plethora of glistening
wrappings under trees, music that mixes old beauty with some sappiness, and
lots of people trying hard to look cheerful in colorful sweaters.
Unlike my two
friends, I’m very comfortable being an outsider looking in. Christmas is
exotic, still.
No need to say
Happy Holidays to me. Your Merry Christmas is welcome. I’ll say it right back
to you, and mean it.
Celebrate!
9 comments:
I'm with you. I don't care if people say Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, etc to me. Say whatever works for you because you wishing that to me shows you care, and I'm happy to receive those wishes.
Mirka, I had to laugh about the exoticness of Christmas. Diwali is the big festival of lights in India. Christmas was a quiet affair at home with reading of the Christmas story, special sweets, and church, if we could get to it. Thank you for the Christmas wishes and a merry one to you too.
Hi, Mirka: Occasionally I see your new posts on Twitter - nice to see you're still out there! We've had the great gift of two new granddaughters within this past month - Christmas will never be the same for me! I hope all is well in your corner and that Omicron is giving you and yours a wide berth. Cheers! Jan
Merry Christmas, Jan!
My favourite part of this time of year is the Christmas lights. We like to drive by neighbourhoods that are well lit. Also, at least in normal times, people seem to be happier, bustling around for gift buying and party shopping, looking forward to seeing friends and family who usually are far away.
Thank you for your sweet post, dear friend. I'm glad you can find joy in the lights of Christmas and other trappings. I think one of the messages Christ came to share with us was that inclusiveness is better than exclusiveness. And you do a great job of exemplifying that. One of my mom's favorite poems to quote to us as we were growing up was by Edwin Markham--
“He drew a circle that shut me out-
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle and took him In!”
So nice to read another lovely post by you, and I wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Love,
Janie
Merry Christmas, Janie
Love you sharing your perspective!
Post a Comment