Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Posted by Bxgell2

Posted by racheeeee
Okay, as a Lawyer, can you please send my boss Gill an email letting her know that Thanksgiving is now a Jewish holiday (Chanksgiving...) and I have to fly to NY immediately to spend the holiday with my family. (remember I tried to make Challah-ween into a Jewish Holiday) My boss is a smart girl...she won't buy this!

Sorry Racheee, those damn rules of lawerly professional conduct always get in my way!

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Posted by Bxgell2

Um, I'm jewish. I celebrate Hanukah, not Christmas.

That means, no christmas dinner, no christmas tree, no christmas gifts. In fact, we have a tradition in our family, like most American jews - Chinese food on Christmas Eve!

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

growing up i had a friend who was jewish, both of her parents are jewish, and yet they still decorated the house, had a tree, and celebrated christmas - i don't believe that they celebrated chanukah. for them, it was more of a secular celebration, not a religious one (not that i agree with that, but it's what they did).

i am jewish, both of my parents are jewish, and we never celebrated christmas together. DH is catholic, and we celebrate christmas every year with his family.

i have heard of jewish people celebrating christmas and i am always but i guess to each his own. it's more about the "holiday spirit" for them, i think.

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Posted by Tilde

Thanks for remembering that Christmas is a religious holiday! I wonder how many people forget?

Off topic: I was telling my coworker about how we teach the children in my family to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus on Christmas Eve at midnight - and she looked all baffled and said "yeah I guess you could think of it as his birthday. . . " and she is CATHOLIC and goes to church. . .

Anyway, LOVE that New Year's is the bris - I can't wait to use that one this holiday! I am so stealing it

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Alot of people that I know that celebrate Christmas aren't even that religious. I think it is just the idea of getting together with family & friends is what brings most people together at this time of year. They use Christmas as a good excuse.

Over the years it seems that people are more into buying gifts and making huge dinners that the religious aspect of it doesn't seem as important.

I think that if you are jewish, theres nothing wrong with celebrating the spirit of Christmas which is giving to those in need and spending time with family & friends.

Message edited 11/21/2007 12:43:36 PM.

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

I guess there aren't any people of other religions either in your area, like Hindus?

My Hindu friend used to have a Christmas tree when we were in elementary school---I think her parents just thought of it as American ( there wern't a lot of Jews in our elementary either), and wanted their children to not feel different from the other Americans.

I actually thought it was strange that she *did* have one. They stopped that as they got older & she took more of an interest in India & Hinduism.

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

I was raised Jewish but my dad is Catholic so we always celebrated christmas and had a tree. We still celebrated Chanukah and had decorations for both up. We even would go to church with my dad on Xmas Eve because he would go with us on the High Holy Days etc. Although Christmas is a religious holiday, our family developed traditions that were special to us and incorporated all members of the family so it makes total sense to me. If my dad was Jewish, I doubt I woud celebrate Xmas. DH is Catholic but our children will be raised Jewish. I still plan to celebrate all holidays but our children will practice/study/identify with Judaism.

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

I don't think it has to do with your inlaws b/c they are in the know.
I think the issue is more about the people you work with Rach.

You know that they don't understand that Jewish people don't celebrate Christmas. They think that everyone celebrates it. I remember going to Ireland and people were shocked when I told them I don't have a tree, decorations, etc.
I think the same thing happened 2 yrs ago when I came up to your office and they were surprised that we don't celebrate Christmas.

I have seen lots of chasidic jews in Manchester when I was there visiting you - just not sure how many of the regular everyday people have Jewish friends or come in contact with the information to be educated on Hanukah, etc.

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Growing up, DH had a 1 foot tall ceramic christmas tree with lights on it that went on the mantle. They strung blue and silver garland on their mantle, with plain ball ornaments in assorted colors hanging from it. They celebrated Hanukkah on December 25th because it was just easier to get everyone assembled together as a group. They always had breakfast, then opened presents. I always tell everyone that asks that my husband and his family are the least Jewish people I know.

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

I never celebrated Christmas until I got involved with DH, who was raised in a Christmas family (ie they have a tree and Santa and presents, but no Church or Jesus). We did Chanukah at my house growing up - we'd have a family party and light the menorah every night and it was great. I always wished we had Christmas lights, but my parents explained why we didn't and I got it. I did like going caroling, though. And a few times I was invited to spend Christmas with friends' families, which was nice, just for the festive nature of it.

Now that I'm married to a Christmas-er, I celebrate with his family. Not in the religious sense, but I go to my in-law's, exchange gifts, have dinner, go to their family party and enjoy the together-ness. For us, it's a great excuse to get together, since they live so far away.

But if I were single or married to a Jew (or any other non-Christmas-er), I wouldn't celebrate Christmas, decorate for Christmas or do anything else like that. It's a religious holiday. I think the season of giving and caring and all of that is something we call can enjoy, though.

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

i celebrate hanukkah. we started a tradition when we got married....we pick one night during hanukkah to make a big meal. i'm making homemade chicken soup, turkey, stuffing, cookies and some side dishes

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

I am Jewish and have never celebrated Christmas until I met my DH, who is Catholic. I celebrate with his family. My family does nothing Christmas related.

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

I never ever celebrated Xmas until I dated my ex - who obviously wasnt Jewish... then began the whole Xmas experience for me when I was 24 and I loved it!

It continued with my DH when I dated him, and it conitnues now (he isnt Jewish) - I want Cailen to know he's Jewish as well, so we will be clebrating everythign - but only the traditional stuff, not the religious stuff...

I once herad a rabbi say something interesting - an interfaith couple (Jewish and Catholic) said to him they were going to rasie their child with both religions. He said, "Ok - I dont get it. You are going to raise your child to believe that Jesus is the Messiah and NOT the Messiah?"

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

I'm Jewish and don't celebrate Christmas. We always volunteer with our temple on Xmas morning (either at a geriatric center or more recently at a soup kitchen) and then do movies and chinese. I dont consider this "celebrating" christmas.

FH's family is not Jewish, and while they are not religious at all they "celebrate Christmas." When we first started dating his grandpa wished me a merry christmas so I said "thank you, you too" and then his mom said "Jen doesnt celebrate xmas" and his grandpa started talking about how while I might not celebrate it now maybe i'll change my mind down the road etc (just thinking I wasnt religious)

I am going to be spending christmas with FH's family this year for the first time (and he's spending thanksgiving with me and my family) -- as long as I dont have to go to church (they dont go) or pray, I'll be fine. If FH wants a little christmas tree in the apt that's fine too.. I'll recognize his culture and religious traditions but I still wont consider myself "celebrating" christmas by any means.

I make latkes and matzoh ball soup all year round... does that mean FH is celebrating chanukkah?

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

I am Jewish. We celebrate Chanaukah. On Christmas we usually have Chinese food and get together with my family and see a movie or play board games. Last year we went to Ben's and saw Night at The Museum. My SIL is not Jewish and if they have anything we go over there for dinner- but we do not exchange gifts on Christmas. It is NOT my hoilday. I enjoy looking at the lights and the season.

Re: Jewish People...I have a question

Dh and I are Jewish and we only do Chanukah. I won't be bringing a tree into my house or giving my children gifts on Chrismas.

However, DH's parents had trees, gifts on Christmas, Christmas dinner at a restaurant, parties on the holiday, etc... It bothers the h&ll out of me to be honest, only because I really don't want to do this with my own daughter and we spend these days with them....

I send her to Jewish school though, so we are reinforcing this point here and I am getting the last word.