Saturday, December 3, 2011

The Christmas Inferiority Complex

I want twinkly blue Chanukah lights hanging from every dang inch of my roof.

I want one of those ugly electric menorahs shining in my window. Right now we have the stupid plastic stick-em's on the window, and even though there's a dreidel, some Stars of David AND a menorah, they're really hard to see when it's ummm....dark.

Before I had Max, I was perfectly content with quiet, private, light-the-candles-and-maybe-share-a-few-latkes kind of Chanukah celebrations. But you know what? Before I had Max, when it was just Sean and I, I would only SPEAK the Chanukah blessing. Growing up, my mom would always lead us in singing it. I was embarrassed to sing in front of Sean.

But now we have Max. And I've found that suddenly, we're the ones leading the holiday traditions. Max's memories will rise and fall around what Chanukah looked like, felt like, and tasted like when he was little.

So celebrate, we will.

Not just the material things, but the traditions that bind us together as a family. We will make latkes, and light the candles, and spin colorful driedels across the hardwood floor until they crash into the furniture. We will read Chanukah books, and Max will stuff his toy sticks into the menorah and pretend like he's lighting it. And of course we sing. The Chanukah song, the Dreidel song, the latke song, and even the Chanukah prayers.

Perhaps I'm looking for decorations to bookend all of these things. Maybe the Chanukah aisle in Target completely barfed in my shopping cart because I want my son to experience how a holiday becomes a season, and a season punctuates a culture. Like all of the Christmas kids do? Maybe.

And apparently I'm not the only one of my FaceBook friends who thinks that Blue Balls for Chanukah are absolutely necessary.


Oh my god. I am fucking hysterical.

There's something magical about this time of year. No matter who you believe in. There are light parades to be shared with friends....

Warm fuzzy hats and preppy mittens to wear in a San Francisco Winter Wonderland....
Every night at bedtime Max says "You read CHA-mukah book to me peease?", and we climb in bed and snuggle up. We read the ChaMukah book over and over and over again. And we talk about how special it is that the Jewish people around the world will all be celebrating ChaMukah together soon.

You can bet your ass I'll be in Target next week too. I need some more glitter branches and silver tinsel to round out our living room.
'Tis the Chamukah Season!

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