We're one of those bi-faith families that celebrates both Christmas and Chanukah. Last night was the first night of Chanukah, and it was a total wash-out. My husband came home late from work, in one of those mysterious "wet blanket" moods men sometimes seem to get in. So I rushed through the prayers, lit the candles, and set about feeding everyone instead of really focusing on the celebration and its significance.
The bright spot is that Chanukah lasts eight nights, which means we have seven more times this year to get it right...to say the prayers with meaning and maybe even discuss the significance of the holiday with the kids. If Christmas gets messed up, you're done for a whole year. I've had bad Christmases before, and it can be very depressing. There's a massive lead-up of expectations for a perfect holiday, and when that gets a throwdown -- you end up sick, breaking up with your boyfriend, having to work, or being stranded at O'Hare in a snowstorm while trying to get home -- major, severe holiday depression can set in.
Since it's more or less accepted by theologians that Christ could not possibly have been born in December and Christmas was instead grafted on to the Roman Saturnalia and even older solstice festivities, maybe Chanukah is a safer holiday to celebrate. It's not as commercialized, and isn't trying to celebrate something that's surely a great thing, but on the wrong day. And if things don't go right -- your spouse is a jerk or you burn some of the latkes, there's always tomorrow...one more candle, one more prayer, one more chance.
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