I have always been the Christmas grinch. I hated the carols (though I know them all--most in latin--thanks to Harley, my school from K-12), the elves, the concept of Santa, the trees, and most of all, I think I hated not being a part of any of it.
I have always had Jewish friends who embraced Christmas without losing any part of their own Judaism, and I've had my moments--at Brandeis, for instance, when a close friend championed the administration for a large ceremony at the lighting of the school tree and I happily belted out "Let it Snow!." Nonetheless, I would change the channel when a Christmas song came on the radio, and swore off my favorite radio station, playing only "seasonal music" for a month before the dreaded day.
As everyone reading this blog (so, um, me) probably knows, I made aliyah about 3 months ago. Now that I'm Israeli, and living in Tel Aviv, a strange thing happened. It didn't happen when I lived here for the year, 3 years ago, and I certainly didn't expect it.
I started to miss Christmas. I found myself humming various tunes I hadn't thought of in years, testing my boyfriend on his Rudolph-knowledge, and when said boyfriend brought home, and then roasted (I kid you not!) chestnuts, I burst out in full-fledged song.
I even found myself missing not just the sales after Christmas, but the tinsel-everywhere, quiet-on-the-streets Christmas itself.
A very apt observer once pointed out that sometimes when you get what you need, it turns out you don't need it anymore. I needed to get away from Christmas--from feeling like an outsider, from the "holiday season" making reference to a minor Jewish festival. But now that I'm away, that it's not being forced on me, I find myself longing for a poinsetta (or however it's spelled) or a glimpse of the national tree.
You see, it turns out that somewhere along the way, Christmas, or more accurately, being anti-Christmas, became a part of me. And now that I don't have it, I sort of want it back.
Anyway, hope any of my Christmas-loving friends had a wonderful day filled with family, friends, and great presents. We'll see how this blogging thing goes--let me know what you think!
Merry Christmas from Rochester! It is interesting how one's exposure to one's own and other religion affects you. I remember enjoying growing up in Rochester (Brighton) which has a relatively high Jewish population. My parents from the South were not quite sure what to think when their six year old son came home from public school at the holidays singing "Dreidal, Dreidal, Dreidal" and only later singing "Frosty"--and never anything more "Christian" than that. Or getting off on Yom Kipur but not Good Friday. So many of my friends were Jewish. What a great way to see another religion--to see it all around, but without feeling pressured by it. I understand how that is much easier now when you are in Israel. How awesome you are in Israel, but we miss you here. Adeste Fidelis!
ReplyDeleteI understand what you mean about being anti-Christmas. I am not a fan of the religious parts of Christmas that we, as Americans, are subject to. I will always pick "Let it Snow" or "Frosty the Snowman" over "Silent Night." Ugh.
ReplyDeleteBUT, while I have always embraced Chanukah, I do enjoy the Christmas season. Maybe it's the "Jingle Bell Rock" scene in Mean Girls. Maybe it's feel-good movies such as Home Alone (the best ever) and Elf. Maybe it's the cheery disposition that all people seem to have around Christmastime, even when they're rushing to buy last-minute presents. It could even be the free days off work that we Jews get to enjoy, or the lovely tradition of Chinese food & movies.
But here's a reason why I'd miss Christmas if I made aliyah. It's distinctly American. For better or for worse, the United States has commercialized Christmas by saturating the airwaves with songs, the cable channels with commercials hawking this sale and that bargain, and the media with movies and TV specials. From Black Friday until Dec. 25, the whole country revolves around the holidays. Airplanes get booked, vacations are taken, and family gatherings take shape.
Regardless of whether or not you are Jewish, it's hard not to get caught up in all the good cheer. I love being Jewish and I enjoy Chanukah, but if I ever moved to a country in which Christmas wasn't important, I'd miss the feel-good nature of December in the United States.
With that said, I am in Florida (which feels more like Israel during Christmastime) so when I get back to Connecticut...Let It Snow!