Hanukkah festivities fill holidays
ie day after Thanksgiving
has always been regarded
| as the start of the holiday
rush. Christmas cards are sent
out. presents are bought, and
decorations are hung on the
newly chopped tree. Families
gather around the fireplace and
drink eggnog
Well. I’ve never sent out Christ
mas cards and eggnog has never
passed my lips. In my family, we
light the menorah. sing songs in
Yiddish and play dreidal games.
I am Jewish, and Hanukkah is
my holiday of choice during the
winter months. Try though I
might, however, I am unable to
escape the Christmas "|oy" that
inundates the city.
Fairy and multicolored lights
line the city streets and tacky
plastic Santas urge on even tack
ier red-nosed reindeer. Enor
mous red and white striped candy
canes stand at attention on street
corners.
I can understand why these
decorations are erected. Local
business people know that the
way to make a profit is to appeal
to the majority of the population.
Granted, most people in the Unit
ed States celebrate Christmas,
but millions of citizens do not
Ever since I was a small child,
the Christmas season has alien
ated and overpowered me. I have
found it very difficult to blindly
accept that Christmas is the only
holiday that should be acknowl
edged.
When I was six years old. my
mom and I were driving down a
major street in my home town of
Pasadena, California. I remem
ber stopping for a red light and
seeing fake tinsel snowflakes
hanging from the street lights. I
was very upset and later that day.
I dictated a letter to my mom. I
informed the mayor of Pasadena
that I didn't appreciate the cities
failure to acknowledge other cul
tures and religions. I never
received a response
Many years have passed since
I mailed that letter, but the same
feelings have continued to plague
me. With the dawn of a new holi
day season, I have been wonder
MORGAN SM TKT hxkavj
Hanukkah Is oftan neglected during holidays.
ing if other children feel the same
way that I did when I was
younger.
I recently interviewed three
children who spend their days at
the child care center on campus
Jonathan and Katie are four
years old, and Sunita is three. I
had the greatest time interview
ing them. It was refreshing to talk
to people who are so open and
honest.
All three celebrate Christmas,
though Sunita couldn’t remember
much about past Christmases.
Katie knows that there are people
who don’t observe Christmas, but
she has never met anyone like
this. She informed me that people
who don't celebrate Christmas
must teel sad because no one is
familiar with their religion.
"No one else knows about their
religions because there's no stuff
up for them.” Katie said
Sumta was equally sympathet
ic She feels sad for the people
who don't celebrate Christmas
"They have to buy Christmas
at the store." she said
Jonathan also doesn't know
anyone who does not observe
the Christmas ritual. However, he
was very enthusiastic about his
own yuletide experiences When
Turn lo IIANUKKAH. Page I4R
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