Nuts are a Hanukkah Traditional Gift
Holidays in any country can be happy yet stressful times. The holidays bring with them much joy and food and family but also perhaps a little to much of the food and the family...this is where differences start surfacing. December in Israel is a season of three holidays that come from the three monotheistic religions. We have the Jewish Hanukkah that most people here celebrate, and which is also commemorated in schools and kindergartens. We have Christmas, which turns Jerusalem and Nasereth upside down for two days and we have the Islamic Ramadan that comes in some years during the winter. All these holidays are celebrated together in the city of Haifa. During December, in the weekends there is a food festival and many other events all over the city.
I personally celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, so my kids get an extra dose of Chocolate. We have everything double. Candles, doughnuts, latkes, presents, a decorated tree etc. The kids love it! Days off at school turn my schedule into a logistic challenge and then there is also the dread of not finding the right gift for each person in the family. To top it all off, my son's birthday is at the end of November and my niece at the beginning of December, so there is always a bit of a struggle when each child will get their special day to celebrate with family and another for friends, and all this in between all the other celebrations.
I am grateful that the children enjoy all the festivities , but I sometimes feel overwhelmed by it all. Thank god the double celebration is only in our household and not the entire family. In all the logistics and sweetmeats its easy to forget that this is the season of forgiveness, kindness, giving and generosity. I try to make a point to discuss these issues with my children, and stress that good doing is not bound by religion or by a certain holiday.
Wishing you all a happy holiday Season
Ofra
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