merry chrismakah
It is xmas morning. and although I am jewish I still find something holy in today. Perhaps it is because my family celebrated xmas when we were children. Yes, we were those terrible kind of jews who enjoyed all the fun and material parts of xmas - the presents, santa claus and candy canes. Of course a tree was out of the question because no rightminded jewish family would have a tree. That was the height of goyishness. I remember being told by someone, certainly not my parents, that a lit xmas tree represented the burning of the jews - really.
I still have special memories of xmas morning. I even remember my parents decorating our apartment with beautiful little tinfoil bells. I also remember a certain xmas when I was 7 or 8 years old, receiving a Kodak instamatic camera. Apparently, I jumped into my parent's bed saying" He got me exactly what I wanted".
Some of my happiest childhood memories, perhaps the happiest, are of xmas mornings. The splendid array of gifts wrapped in a plethora of papers and tied with colorful ribbons piled up high in our living room. I have to admit that I alwys thought that Hannukah was second best. Somehow, lighting those candles for 8 days just didn't measure up to the magic of xmas morning, jew or not.
I guess that's why the term Chrismakah really appeals to me. I think I'm just tired of feeling guilty for being a jew who likes xmas.
I still have special memories of xmas morning. I even remember my parents decorating our apartment with beautiful little tinfoil bells. I also remember a certain xmas when I was 7 or 8 years old, receiving a Kodak instamatic camera. Apparently, I jumped into my parent's bed saying" He got me exactly what I wanted".
Some of my happiest childhood memories, perhaps the happiest, are of xmas mornings. The splendid array of gifts wrapped in a plethora of papers and tied with colorful ribbons piled up high in our living room. I have to admit that I alwys thought that Hannukah was second best. Somehow, lighting those candles for 8 days just didn't measure up to the magic of xmas morning, jew or not.
I guess that's why the term Chrismakah really appeals to me. I think I'm just tired of feeling guilty for being a jew who likes xmas.
posted by mamainwaiting at 2:25 AM
2 Comments:
For what it's worth, most self-describing Christians have no more connection to the original meaning and symbolism of Christmas than you experienced. I think one could rename it "Solstice Festival" without any major loss of meaning.
Such meaning as there still is in Christmas, is contained in the rituals of being kind to and thoughtful of each other, of showing generosity and tolerance, of recognizing and indulging in the (over-)abundance of our physical world.
Few religions require more than that.
Happy Chrismakah to you and yours, and may your next Chrismakah be as a threesome.
Mary and Joseph were the first people to celebrate Christmas, technically. So you have an example set before you. If I don't have to feel guilty about not celebrating Kwaanza, you don't have to feel guilty about celebrating Christmas.
I love reading about your adoption story. I will say a prayer that the rest of the process is without difficulty and relatively stress free.
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