“Chrismukkah” refers to the idea of merging Christmas and Hanukkah; while merging holidays was foreign to me, I embrace any reason to celebrate family and traditions (and great food!).

The man in my life happens to celebrate Hanukkah, also referred to as the festival of lights. I know very little about Hanukkah, except that it’s a beautiful simple holiday lasting eight days. A candle is added and lit in the menorah each night of the holiday until it is brilliantly lit with all eight candles on the last night. Unfortunately, it’s become a bit more commercialized over the years, especially for kids, with the timing of Christmas falling within the same week.

Neither of us is religious, but we bring together different traditions, and sharing these traditions makes it all the more special. What would it have been like growing up celebrating Hanukkah with Christmas in full swing? The word gauche comes to mind.

Christmas is one of the most celebrated commercialized holidays, reaching ridiculous proportions. Perhaps I’ve become more self-aware of how insane this holiday can be while sharing it with someone who’s never celebrated. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the holidays, but I refuse to get caught up in all the crazy, trust me, it’s easy to do!

For me growing up, Christmas was magical. Imagining Santa and his reindeer flying through the night sky, wondering what goodies he might be bringing me. Celebrating the holidays then was simple, A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life were our go-to holiday movies, and there were no church services or prayers.

Instead, time was spent at home playing board games, listening to Christmas carols, or hanging out. Fast forward to now, I still enjoy the holidays, and yes, I can do without some bits, but for the most part, I love making Christmas a year-end celebration. ‘Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry, indulge (just a little) with delicious treats and enjoy time spent with family and friends.

As a couple going forward, I love sharing Hanukkah and Christmas. Not only is experiencing new traditions fun and exciting, but it also lets us appreciate our past, who we are and where we’ve come from.

Happy Holidays!

LC

xo