Today Terry is treating us to a very special Second Annual Axis of Weevil Ramahannuchristmakwanzavus Thursday Three!
Terry writes the following:
We understand that there are several different types of highly competitive holiday celebrations ongoing at this time of year, so we expect you all to behave and be nice to each other's religious and/or non-religious proclivities and not make the Animated Swingin’ Singin’ Santa Lite-Up Guest Greeter cry. Or Santa Monica, for that matter.
Remember, anyone (theoretically) can play along, and if you don’t do any celebrating of any sort, it’s okay. Just make something up and no one will be any wiser. Just leave your answers neatly gift-wrapped in the comment section below, or leave a link to your blog so we can all come by and oooo-and-ahhhh at your inventiveness.
Anyway, on to the questions, which were once again provided by our favorite East Carolinian, Jim Smith (not an alias, by the way), just like they were last year.
They are this:
1. Are you an early bird in the prep for the holidays, and if so, how early do you start?
2. If you decorate your house, when do the decorations go up, and what are they?
3. Do you go out of your way to find special, well-thought-out presents, or are you so harried and confused that gift cards make more sense?
Well I’ll do my best not to make the Santas cry, but Santa needs to stop scaring all the children.
Originally I was a Unitarian and I converted to Judaism shortly before I married my husband. In no way was I pressured to convert, it was a natural evolution of my beliefs. As a result I live in the strange world of Christmahanukah. At home we celebrate Hanukah and we go visit my Mother up north for Christmas.
1) I think I’m about average. I get some things early and others are done at the last minute. I have a hard time doing anything before Thanksgiving. I like to do my holiday’s one at a time and in a linear fashion. The only exception is Hanukah gift wrap and candles. I have learned over the years to snap those babies up when they appear in the stores. The Richmond area has a very small Jewish population and the area merchants generally do not cater to us. This year our local Target had some beautiful Hanukah candles for sale before Turkey day. Last weekend there was no evidence of any Hanukah related merchandise in the store.
2) My decorating is limited to displaying holiday cards on the windows and our menorahs. Up at my mother’s house we help put up the tree and decorate it. She will have a few knick-knacks, a crèche or two, a wreath on the front door, one of these (her spinner is much simpler) and wreaths on the candles. It is fairly low key. No outside displays or lights.
3) Larry and I try to put a lot of thought into our gifts. We limit ourselves to our immediate family, my mother, my brother and his wife. For everyone else, teachers, the mail carrier and others I bake cookies for them. Last year our mail carrier, Yvonne, wrote the funniest thank you note. Apparently my cookies caused marital discord. She and her husband fought over who got the last cookie. We also make up a calendar every year with photos of the kids and dole them out to their grandparents, aunt and uncles. I can’t tell you any more because my family (Hi Mom!) reads this mess.
1 comment:
For the record, one place you can order online for Chanukah is Eichler's - here's the link to their Chanukah Store.
There's a million other Judaica places online, but this is one I happen to know well, as they're based nearby.
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