I grew up with a unique religious background. My dad grew up Catholic, and my mom was born and raised Jewish. Back in the day, it was a big deal for my dad to have dated my mom. According to their families, they were both making a huge mistake. But true love finds a way. The religious differences did split them up for a short time in college, but they reunited and realized that their connection was more important than how they were raised.
When my sister and I were born, they chose to raise us as Unitarian Universalists. The plan worked out — we were able to go to a church that was very accepting of all people, and I was able to learn about all different kinds of cultural celebrations. At home, we celebrated both Christmas and Hanukkah when the time came. I still learned about the history of both holidays and felt important that I knew very limited Hebrew. (By the way, the answer is no — I didn't get a ton of presents for celebrating both. That was something the other kids in my class always asked when they learned that I was culturally Jewish.)
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Celebrating both is a more popular choice these days. Plus, dating outside of your religion is more acceptable, so plenty of kids have the benefit of learning both. I'm excited to celebrate Hanukkah with my daughter and continue the tradition, especially since my mom is no longer with us. It meant a lot for her to pass down her knowledge of the holiday, and I look forward to honoring her memory by doing the same. Here are six fun ways to incorporate both holidays into your winter schedule this year.
Focus on the fun.
Don't get me wrong: It's important for kids to know why we celebrate holidays and how they originated. But you don't want to expect too much out of young children. They'll be more open to the concept if you start out by saying how much fun the holidays are. Break out the dreidel and learn what the symbols mean. As kids grow older, you can add more and more into the holiday and get into the historical aspect. The goal here is to get your kids excited about both.
Don't make the holidays compete with each other.
This can be difficult, since some years they overlap. But it's important to give each one an equal amount of attention. Don't skimp on Hanukkah because you're too bogged down by Christmas. By celebrating only half of the days, you're missing some of the point. Each candle represents a day that the temple lantern blazed on minimal oil.
Use books to help make each holiday stand out.
Christmas books are easy to find. Hanukkah books are a bit tougher. Here are a few good ones to put in your Amazon cart, just in case you need some suggestions: Clifford Celebrates Hanukkah by Norman Bridwell; Shmelf the Hanukkah Elf by Greg Wolfe; Grover's Eight Nights of Light by Jodie Shepherd; and Biscuit's Hanukkah by Alyssa Satin Capucilli. Make these books a special part of the holiday.
Make decorations for both.
Find some fun Hanukkah crafts that you can make every year. These Hanukkah luminaries, found on the website Make and Takes, are ideal for outdoor decor. When Christmas comes, you can make new luminaries with a different design, acknowledging both. On years when Hanukkah and Christmas overlap, you can always put Hanukkah luminaries on one side of your walkway and Christmas ones on the other. This is a great way to tell your neighbors that you celebrate both. It's possible they do, too, and it'll give you an opportunity to connect.
Create your own traditions.
People are a little more open about being interfaith these days. What makes holidays memorable are the traditions you start up with your family. Maybe you get one big gift for Hanukkah and much smaller gifts for Christmas. Or perhaps, instead of physically lighting a menorah, you let your children draw one and stick on "flames" with Velcro. It may take a few years to build up traditions that aren't all that time-consuming, but when you do, you'll really enjoy celebrating both.
Don't be afraid to celebrate other Jewish holidays.
It might be confusing to only celebrate Hanukkah. So you should consider having a Passover Seder when the time comes. That, or you can make sure to add Purim and Rosh Hashanah to your calendar. In celebrating more holidays, it may also take the pressure off Hanukkah a little bit. You're honoring Jewish traditions but spreading them out throughout the year.
