It will be a festive time. The holidays are all clumping together. Joy is in the air. The storekeepers are delighted. People will be stretching their budgets to buy gifts. Who doesn’t need another scarf, some perfume, a new tie or another shirt. There’ll be long lines for all the returns and stores are becoming more reluctant to take back unwanted gifts, some even charge to do so. But, nothing stops shoppers buying holiday gifts.
The first day of Chanukah is the fifteenth of December and the holiday goes on for eight days of candle lighting. Then on December 24th we have Christmas Eve with jolly old Santa coming down the chimney, even though here in Florida there’s hardly a chimney to be found, I guess Santa will leave the gifts under the Christmas tree. A new holiday many people have yet to be aware of is Kwanzaa, celebrated by many in the Black community.
I think it’s fun to get to know other people’s customs and celebrations. I used to have Chanukah parties for the children in my neighborhood, many of whom were not Jewish. I would give out dreidels, little tops for everyone to spin and Chanukah gelt, that’s chocolate money wrapped in gold foil. We had delicious honey cakes and after that I told the story of the Miracle of Chanukah. Everyone sang Dreidle, Dreidle, Dreidle and we had such a good time.
For Christmas we were invited to our neighbor’s house for an early dinner and to help trim the Christmas tree under which they had small gifts for us. We sang carols, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and Jingle Bells. Sharing and enjoying other people’s holidays and traditions makes for good neighbors and friends. I’ve yet to be invited to anyone’s house for Kwanzaa but hope springs eternal. I would love to share that communities’ traditions as well. Meanwhile I’d like to wish everyone a happy holiday with peace and love in the New Year.Judith Levy is the New York Times best-selling author of GRANDMOTHER REMEMBERS, which has sold over four million copies. Her newest offering GREAT-GRANDMOTHER REMEMBERS, a perfect gift for that special lady, is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It’s bound to be another best-seller.
