There’s been a lot of mumbling, whispering, and questioning lately. It’s not about Santa Claus. We know he’s real, plus he lives in Huron Village ( not sure if he is couchsurfing, has a regular airbnb reservation, or just a condo he lives in part time.). The mumbling is coming from the adults. Something about holiday greetings, nativity scenes, and the like.

It was a lot easier in Canada where I grew up for a couple reasons. First, Canada is a Christian country. Second, Kitchener-Waterloo had about 6 Jews and Kwanzaa was a fairly new invention so it wasn’t on most people’s radar. As for those celebrating anything else they did amongst themselves in peace.

Our local newspaper would print the lyrics to popular Christmas carols, schools would be decorated, everyone said Merry Christmas and as far as I could tell it never bothered anyone. And, I know most of the words to many Christmas carols more than I can say for my ‘Drummer Boy’ loving husband who unlike me, celebrated Christmas every year of his life
and unlike me knows a few words of the chorus for most songs.

I have been celebrating Chanukah every year and our family continues to only celebrate Chanukah. I am not offended by anyone wishing me a Merry Christmas, especially those who are just so happy to be celebrating. If you celebrate Christmas and own a business go ahead and decorate! If you are my neighbor and you’re celebrating the birth if Jesus go ahead and put up a crèche. For goodness sake, we live in a country where the money reads ‘In God We Trust’. If you want to complain, about church in public life… that might be a good starting point.

In fact, the only thing I find offensive this time of year is that we’re almost all frantically running around buying stuff we don’t need with money we don’t have to spare on things nobody needs anyway. I shopped. Don’t get me wrong, I love to shop and enjoy giving the perfect gift as well. I justify it by shopping local businesses.

That and, oh yeah, dreidle shaped blue and silver strings of lights. There’s just no need for that.

Merry Christmas! We’ll be lighting our candles tonight. I’ll be hanging a spruce, non- wreathy, winter scene swag on the door (because I’m praying for a snowy New England winter) and when it comes to decorating for winter, Christmas has it right! Pine needles, candles, little hand felted woodland creatures, and silver skate blades have no religion.