Monday, October 29, 2012

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year...Unless You're A Hater

Happy Monday Bloggies!

I hope you all had fabulous weekends! Here in Florida, it is just starting to get coldish outside, and so I may seem more perky than usual because like my dog, Holly, I get all kinds of tail-wagging excited when it drops below 70 degrees(which, to all of you northerners, is a HUGE deal here in the Sunshine State).

So, I wanted to share with you all the struggle I go through every year around this time regarding Christmas, and the holidays in general. You see, I am Jewish. I wasn't raised in a strictly Jewish household, and we celebrated Christmas every year because my Mom is Christian and my Dad is Jewish. But I myself am a Jew, it's what I have always identified with and it's the religion I practice. To me, being a Jew is as natural as having my unruly, curly hair that I lovingly blame my Aunt Beth for (Hi Aunt Beth!). I could not imagine myself without it.

But, I love Christmas.

There, I said it. I love Christmas. And by Christmas, I guess I should clarify to say that I love the music and the snowflakes and the smell of Balsam trees. The magical idea of elves and a north pole and presents that come wrapped in glittering paper with huge bows. So, it really is the non-religious part of the holiday that I love. I don't go to Church or celebrate Baby Jesus' Birthday, although I totally respect that others in my family do and I think that's wonderful.

I myself light our Menorah every year, and Brian and I say the Baruch together and lovingly watch as the wax melts each night, reminding us of the miracles of perseverance, belief in the impossible, and the wondrous lights of Hanukkah. Since we live so far away from the rest of our own tribe, it is just the two of us each year, but that's enough for now, and eventually we will have our own little clan to light the candles with.

But I also jump out of bed the day after Thanksgiving like a little elf myself and immediately start putting up the tinsel and dusting off the Christmas village I am collecting every year, hanging the wreath on the door and fastening the shining snowflakes to the eaves of our china cabinet (so my kitties don't eat them), and then going out and picking the perfect tree (we are getting one this year BRIAN) to bring home and drape with the ornaments given to me by my Mother, and her Mother before her, and her Mother before her.

**Side note, Brian doesn't have a problem with the tree itself, but we live in a second story condo, and guess who has to drag the 100lb monster I picked up the stairs. :)

So, what is the struggle, you ask? The struggle is that I always get people who want to rain on my proverbial Christmas parade. They say I can't have Christmas because I am a Jew. "It's not right" they say.

Well, to those people, I say, "Haters gonna hate."

Don't hate on my amazing holiday display! Just because my Christmas village has frighteningly realistic snow-covered trees and real street lights that twinkle and I put little incense cones in my houses so that smoke comes out the chimney doesn't mean you have to be all bitter about it and give me crap. I put on my Michael Buble Christmas songs CD and light my Balsam candles and get my holiday on like no one's business!

And in the words of Kat Williams, "Don't say my hair isn't luxurious when you know it is, bitch."

Instead, my hair is my tree, and it's magnificent rather than luxurious. Well, the tree can be rather luxurious. Aren't you my beautiful fur??

But, is it just me? Why do people have to hate on how others choose to celebrate the holidays? I'm not asking these people over to partake of my AMAZING cranberry stuffing or enjoy my DELICIOUS baked brie with real fruit preserves and homemade sesame crisps. I'm also not asking them to come see my beautiful Menorah collection or my super cute Hanukkah cutting board for delightful bites of yummy-ness.So, what do they care?

How about you, bloggies? Do you have traditions that other people don't understand or try to tell you are wrong?

Either way, you get out there and be the little holiday elves I know you can be! 

This is a pic of my holiday ducks that my Grandmother gave me. They were hers, and I had wanted them for years. Now they are mine, all mine.


Much Love,
Shana



4 comments:

  1. Oh for heaven's sake. You can dig secular Christmas if you want to! It IS magical! I have a hard time believing it's a bad thing to enjoy a little holiday cheer and be a little extra nice to mankind. Plus, Christmas villages are all kinds of awesome. I think it's highly unlikely you'll be subjected to a thunderbolt from a vengeful God, and since weak humans have no access to thunderbolts, you're totally safe.

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  2. Thanks Katie! I think what freaks people out is the idea that a Jew is partaking in a little Christmas cheer. People tend to get super territorial with their holidays when others, whome they do not understand, want to start celebrating with them. And I completely agree regarding thunderbolts. Although I always wear rubber shoes this time of year just in case :)

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  3. A comment from my very sweet Aunt Julie that she left on my facebook page:

    "I think this is wonderful!!! Enjoy all of the parts that make up "Shana". You come from a family (your moms) that LOVES Christmas and the holiday season. I have a picture of you as a baby in your santa hat and jammies. It's in your blood. My guess as to why people get so worked up over you acknowledging both sides is that they wish they could do the same...but guilt does not allow. I'm sure alot of it is envy more than anything else. Be proud of your Jewish heritage but at the same time be proud of your Christian heritage. You figured it out and it works for you. We will help you drag the tree up the steps if need be...love u"

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