Honoring each others holiday traditions in a mixed religion marriage can be a bit or a challenge, especially when the holidays overlap one another. But with a little effort, we have made it work for both of us. For example, this morning, all the red and green Christmas theme decorations were switched out for a blue white and silver Hanukkah theme. We'll return to the Christmas theme, when the eight days of Hanukkah are over on Dec. 20th. Now after 25 years, I don't think either one of us could imagine ending the year without celebrating both Hanukkah and Christmas.
But for us, Hanukkah is not about the color scheme. It really always begins with lighting the candles on a simple Menorah Bruce, and reciting the Hanukkah prayers. Bruce got both the menorah and the book from his family when he went into the military at age 18. Bruce reads the prayers in Hebrew, and I read the translation in English.
Then we each open a gift from under the Hanukkah bush.
The gift giving is more symbolic than luxurious, since the gifts are almost always something practical we would be buying anyway, but
receiving it wrapped up does make the evening seem a bit more special.
Then we sit down to a formal (and fancy) Hanukkah dinner planned and prepared by both of us.
Happy Hanukkah everyone.
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