Romeo and Juliet may have been star-crossed lovers, but my husband and I are moon-crossed. When the Jewish month of Kislev aligns with December and Hanukkah and Christmas coincide we have our share of interwoven plot lines. At least in our household the combined stress has little to do with religious differences and much to do with coordinating interleaved schedules, wearing a red sweater to the nativity pageant and a blue top for Hanukkah dinner or putting the Christmas candles in the advent wreath and Hanukkah candles in the menorah. Once I did purchase non-standard menorah candles and so I didn’t look too chagrined last week when the Pier 1 clerk suggested their 3” by 6” red candles when I asked if she had menorah candles. And of course, the most stressful and often entertaining events are those that one spouse approaches from a new angle never having had to wrestle a tree into a stand or cook a tender brisket.
Then there’s simply scheduling. This weekend the plan was Friday night Dickens reading in town, Saturday morning pageant rehearsal, Saturday afternoon make Hanukkah dessert, Saturday evening caroling, Sunday morning church, then home in time to set the Hanukkah table and make a brisket before heading out for the annual nativity pageant to return home for latke-making and a festive Hanukkah dinner. Mother Nature however trumped both religions with a snowstorm that put her traditional shoveling and fort building festivities at the forefront.
The next day the dining room was transformed from blue to red with a few changes in table linens and candles in preparation for 10 arriving for Christmas Eve followed by 20 for Christmas Day. The menorah retained its prominent location for nightly lighting (will we light the menorah before or after Christmas Eve service?).
Not unlike many Jewish boys, my husband’s parents reside in Florida in the winter where we plan to join them within 48 hours of unwrapping our Christmas gifts. After cleaning up our Christmas celebration, wrapping Hanukkah presents and packing suitcases with alacrity we hope to make the airplane on time.
I look forward to the secular tradition of New Year’s Eve without any celebration whatsoever.
