Celebrating the Festive Spirit: Our Family's Combination of Christmas and Hanukkah Traditions
Celebrating the Festive Spirit: Our Family's Combination of Christmas and Hanukkah Traditions
If you're part of a household that celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah, you might be puzzled about how to blend these two festivities, considering decor and practical aspects. Being in an interfaith family myself (I'm Jewish and my spouse isn't), I've had ample time to contemplate this question and even established some customs of my own.
What is Chrismukkah?
This year, the initial night of Hanukkah falls on Christmas Day. Why so close this year? The Jewish calendar is lunar-solar, meaning it follows the lunar cycles but sometimes necessitates adjustment by the sun (with an additional month added) to ensure Jewish holidays remain within the appropriate season. For instance, Hanukkah stays put in December, bringing light to the winter months.
Let There Be Lights!
Despite the differing nature of both festivals, they share a common theme: hope in the coldest season of the year, when days are brief. It comes as no surprise that lights are a major feature of both celebrations.
After the demolition of one of the ancient temples, just enough oil was left for a single day, but a miracle happened, and it lasted 8 days. To commemorate this, on each of the 8 nights of Hanukkah (also known as The Festival of Lights), we light candles on a menorah.
We also adorn various areas of our home with various forms of light. I hang blue and white lights around the fireplace mantel and doorways and suspend strands of twinkle lights in the dining and living room. My husband eagerly awaits December 1st, when he climbs up the ladder and adorns our porch and garage with lights; the porch gets traditional multi-colored Christmas lights, while the garage receives Hanukkah-themed blue and white lights. We swap locations yearly.
Dare to Be Different with Wrapping Paper
Hanukkah lasts 8 days, and we present multiple gifts each night. Add that to Christmas, and we're looking at a lot of wrapping paper! For presents under the tree, I opt for a mix of wrapping paper in festive colors beyond green and red, favoring combos like silver wrap with blue ribbon (honoring the traditional Hanukkah hues), gold paper with white or green ribbon, and a plaid in blue and white with a touch of pink, red, and black.
I also seek out festive patterns that aren't tied to a specific holiday, like designs featuring stars or starbursts. Another of my favored choices when wrapping gifts is utilizing household materials, such as brown paper bags or parchment paper, which can be embellished with colorful ribbons and natural elements like dried flowers and greenery.
Showcase the Menorah
At times, Hanukkah might seem a bit lacking in decorations suitable for display throughout the holiday season given that a Christmas tree typically remains up for much of December. We've discovered a way to display our menorah, the very heart of Hanukkah.
Instead of simply bringing out the menorah whenever it's time to light the candles, we assemble a variety of menorahs with different designs. Each one holds a unique significance; my mother gifted me one, my son crafted one in preschool, and another showcases an animal for each candle holder, acknowledging our family's passion for animals and pets. This menorah crafted from faux marble concrete (which can be easily made at home!) is also part of my display.
In our interfaith household, we often discuss the combination of Chrismukkah celebrations, and the news about Hanukkah falling on Christmas Day this year has sparked much interest. During the Hanukkah Festivals of Lights, we use a menorah to commemorate the ancient miracle with blue and white lights, along with traditional multi-colored Christmas lights on our porch and garage.