Harrison Krasner ’14 | Staff Writer

December brings eight plus one crazy nights to my house.  We celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas because my father is Jewish and my mother is Catholic. It is really the best of both worlds with family celebration through Hanukkah and then a traditional Christmas spent with my grandpa and my maternal extended family on December 25.

Childhood memories are full of holiday celebrations throughout December. Hanukkah occurs at any time from late November to late December dictated by the Hebrew calendar. Whenever the eight nights of Hanukkah fall, we light the candles, say the blessing and open one gift a night. As a little kid it was amazing to get  one present a night—you really played with whatever it was, since it wasn’t buried in a pile of presents.

From Kindergarten  through fifth grade my parents picked a day to come into Kerby School with dreidels (Jewish tops) gelt (gold foil covered chocolate coins), a Hanukkah story and a menorah (the 9 branch candelabra lit each night with corresponding candles plus one). This was always a great diversion from the standard fare in school and one day that it felt great to be Jewish, which was different from all my classmates.

My parents would explain the story behind Hanukah to my class, which is actually a cultural rather than religious story.  The holiday commemorates the victory of the Maccabees (small Jewish army of rebels) over the large formal army of King Antiochus who had enslaved the Jewish people and forbid them from practicing their religion.  Legend has it that when the Maccabees won the battle for their freedom, the oil used to rededicate their temple was sparse and should have only lasted one night, however the miracle of Hanukah was that it lasted for eight nights.

My family’s Christmas celebration has always been traditional, but my father’s relatives they always go out to Chinese food because those are the only restaurants open on Christmas. We always went to my Grandparents’ to cut one down in the woods behind their house and Santa Claus always found us there on Christmas.  I remember being convinced Santa was Jewish since he worked on Christmas and therefore I always insisted on leaving chicken noodle soup along with his Christmas cookies.

Like our tree, both holidays and our associated family traditions are so intertwined and yet also so distinct. Either way it is a great time of year.  Merry Christmaskah, Happy Hanukamass!