I do not like the holiday season, and I do not like the fact that it is called "the holiday season." Who are we kidding, please? This is the Christmas season. Our holiday season is in Tishrei. Calling December the holiday season is a wee bit condecending, I think, when the only non-Christian holiday in sight is Chanukkah, a minor, no-account, little festival. Suppose we were the big, bad majority, and we declared Tishrei the American Holiday Season on the grounds that it contains Rosh Hashona, Yom Kippur, Sukkos and also Columbus Day. Do you think the gentiles might be peeved?
Chanuka is more our Columbus Day than our Christmas. We light some candles, and sing some songs. Big Whoops. As an observance this pales next to our real holidays, like the High Holy Days, Passover, Sukkot, even Purim. So it bothers me just a little that the non-Jews deign to notice us (and to congratulate themselves for noticing us) only when they are celebrating something themselves.
And the next non-Jewish person who says, "oh, you get eight nights of presents," gets hit.
Our good friends at Slate ran a story several years ago that explains how Chanuka became "the Jewish Christmas"? It's worth a second look.
Taking your comment a step further, if we live in country based upon Judeo-Christian values, why aren't Shavous and Simchas Torah national holidays?
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, if there is a "separation of church and state" why does the government close for X-mas?
You can always make a bigger deal out of Chanukah, not because of yoshmas(yoshka+mas), but because it's a Jewish holiday and you should enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you, though, about the "holiday season". At my work they have a holiday party. I told my boss I wasn't going because it's really an x-mas party. And there is santa and trees, etc. I've tried for 15 years to get my work to put up something for Chanukah. Always an excuse. They tell me the wreaths and trees and presents (and x-ms music, sometimes with yoshka in it) is just seasonal. Really makes me mad.
Kwanzaa. How could you forget Kwanzaa? Eliyahu
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