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Merry Hanukkahmas

When my husband and I first started talking about getting married we briefly touched on the subject of how we would raise our children when the time came. While hubby came from a Catholic upbringing and I was raised Jewish, neither one of us were what you would call religious people. It was decided that we would expose our children to both and when the time came we would allow them to choose what they wanted. We would create a sense of family and traditions for our future kids, after all that was what we valued the most!
 

This having our kids celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah was good in concept but we soon learned was not so great on the pockets. Not wanting one holiday to be better than the other we did and still do our best to make both fantastic. Most years we are successful too. However there was one that things got a bit confusing. You see sometimes the two holidays can get a bit mixed up!
 

As you may know Hanukkah follows the Jewish calendar and consequently is celebrated at different times each year. Some years it comes early, other years, it comes late, and occasionally it can even fall on Christmas Day. The year that my son was 5 and my daughter was 3 Hanukkah came early. In fact it was so early we had not even started to decorate for Christmas. Actually I was putting off decorating as my daughter was at that “I must touch everything” stage and I was a bit nervous to put out my husband’s porcelain manger set he treasures so much. That was why I got so excited when while shopping I found one of those “Weebles Wobble but they don’t fall down” people sets in both a Hanukkah and manger theme. It was perfect. I bought both and without even really thinking wrapped them up; two of my daughter’s Hanukkah presents down, six more to go.
 

Now remember when I said my hubby and I treasured values and family and traditions? Well one of our Hanukkah traditions is that all the kids’ presents are numbered one to eight. Each night after we light the Hanukkah candles the kids take turns tossing a Velcro ball at a target that has eight different sections marked. Whatever number the ball lands on is the number present the kids open that night. This way I am not choosing which present they get each night. It could be a big one or it could be clothes or socks, you never know. Most of the time I am even surprised as I forget which present is which. This tradition has always been the highlight of the holiday for the kids and that night was no exception.
 

It was the first night of Hanukkah and we had called my parents who lived afar and via speaker they were enjoying the excitement of the Festival of Lights with us. My husband was giving them a play by play in his best sportscaster voice. “And Grace is stepping up to the line to throw her ball. She winds up, it’s a curve ball folks and it has landed on number seven.” We all laughed and were enjoying the fun when my father asked Grace what she got. She excitedly ripped open the paper and let out a holler of glee when she saw her present. “What is it,” my father asked again from his side of the phone. Without even skipping a beat my daughter informed her Jewish grandparents that she had just gotten a baby Jesus for Hanukkah! It’s a good thing my folks have a good sense of humor!
 

The grownups finally stopped laughing and my parents decided it was time to hang up. As we went around the room saying our goodbyes my brilliantly witty 5-year-old son stood up happily and innocently surprised us all when he sang out, “Merry Hanukkahmas to all and to all a goodnight!”  We have tried calling Hallmark to get that on a card, but they haven’t gotten back to us yet. Oy Vey!

Sharon Fuentes is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to Westchester Family.

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