Commercialism

...runs rampant throughout all of America's holidays. I've been a little grinchy about it since Christmas, when I saw several of my friends, both online and in real life, jumping through hoops to find a Wii. It took me back to the days when my mother did the same to find my sister a Cabbage Patch doll. It didn't matter how much she had to pay, she just HAD to have it. The sacrifice was all but lost on my then 3 year old sister, who opened the package with glee, only to be tossed aside to move on to the next gift.

I will tell you that I am Jewish. My husband is not. So our children benefit from both December holidays. That said, let me expound on "benefit." On Hanukkah, we light our menorah and say our blessings in Hebrew. We cook our traditional Jewish foods, recipes handed down to me from my grandmother, her mother, her mother, and so forth. We read from the Torah. We play Dreidl. There are no gifts exchanged, other than the gift of togetherness. Along comes Christmas, and we have a few special traditions as well... the painting of the handprints on the tree skirt, the baking of the springerle cookies that no one likes, but wouldn't be Christmas without (LOL), the Christmas shows and songs that we watch and sing as a family. My children are well aware of the real "reason for the season," yet the focus is on the gifts. Shopping for them, and receiving them. And here is the real lesson, I think... if you ask my children, they will tell you that they are Jewish. The choice has always been theirs to make. I would love to see more families focus on the real reason for the season, whatever that season may be. I think it would make everything so much less stressful and so much more meaningful.

So, my dear blogging buddies, although I certainly could go out and buy you all the dozen roses you all deserve for Valentines Day, I refuse to pay twice as much for the flowers that the stores are charging and will simply say, I love you all, and you are special to me EVERY day. :-)