an ecumenical Christmas
Dec. 25th, 2024 08:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
calimacB.'s family gathered for Christmas dinner at our (her) nephew's house. Meeting time was 2 pm, dinner (featuring prime rib and grilled chicken; I brought the steamed broccoli) was served about 3:30. We'd surely still be there at 5 pm. 5 pm was sunset, and the beginning of the first night of Hanukkah, a rare concatenation. I thought, why not bring along my Hanukkah menorah and light the candles there? As the only Jew in a household of Christians (mostly Catholics), I could offer them a glimpse at a religious ceremony that most of them had probably never seen before.
And so, by pre-agreement with the hosts (nephew and his wife), that's what I did. In between the family gift exchange and the 'white elephant' game, I called everybody back from the den into the dining room, where I'd set the menorah up near the end of the table. This was my first time doing this before an audience of more than 2 or 3 people, and not being used to it as I am with giving conference papers, I was a little nervous. I'd brought along the wrong box of matches, the one whose striking surfaces have been worn smooth; the candles kept flickering out after being lit; and I stumbled a bit over the blessings. But it got done.
Being familiar with the customs of Catholics after 30 years of being married to one, I did caution them that Hanukkah candles are not to be blown out, that they must be allowed to burn all the way down. They're small; it'll take less than an hour. Grand-nephew who'd been off in a corner during the ceremony was puzzled coming by later and seeing the candles still burning.
I got several thanks and compliments for this fascinating and new-to-them little ceremony, and nephew's brother-in-law asked me what was the Hebrew for 'Happy Hanukkah.' I didn't actually know that, so I said, "What my people usually say is 'Happy holiday' in Yiddish, which is 'Gut yontif.'" So he wished me "Gut yontif." That was very polite.
I count this a satisfactory Christmas. Now on to the rest of Hanukkah.
And so, by pre-agreement with the hosts (nephew and his wife), that's what I did. In between the family gift exchange and the 'white elephant' game, I called everybody back from the den into the dining room, where I'd set the menorah up near the end of the table. This was my first time doing this before an audience of more than 2 or 3 people, and not being used to it as I am with giving conference papers, I was a little nervous. I'd brought along the wrong box of matches, the one whose striking surfaces have been worn smooth; the candles kept flickering out after being lit; and I stumbled a bit over the blessings. But it got done.
Being familiar with the customs of Catholics after 30 years of being married to one, I did caution them that Hanukkah candles are not to be blown out, that they must be allowed to burn all the way down. They're small; it'll take less than an hour. Grand-nephew who'd been off in a corner during the ceremony was puzzled coming by later and seeing the candles still burning.
I got several thanks and compliments for this fascinating and new-to-them little ceremony, and nephew's brother-in-law asked me what was the Hebrew for 'Happy Hanukkah.' I didn't actually know that, so I said, "What my people usually say is 'Happy holiday' in Yiddish, which is 'Gut yontif.'" So he wished me "Gut yontif." That was very polite.
I count this a satisfactory Christmas. Now on to the rest of Hanukkah.
no subject
Date: 2024-12-26 10:04 am (UTC)Most Christian faiths have now owned our use of silence in worship.
no subject
Date: 2024-12-26 06:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-26 06:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-12-26 08:57 pm (UTC)The whole act of worship as you'll probably know, can pass in silence.