If any of you have checked the blog lately, you may have heard a song playing that does not fall under "traditional" Christmas music. Of course, it's not. It's a traditional Jewish folk song. ~ one you even may have danced to if you have been fortunate enough to attend any Jewish celebration. I went to an engagement party in Brooklyn one year, and had a wonderful time dancing to Hava Nagila!
You may or may not know that the Jewish holiday, Chanukah (or Hanukkah) begins at sundown on the 21st of December this year. At that time, the first candle of the menorah will be lit. Each night during the next eight days, another candle will be lit. There are beautiful Jewish songs that are sung before and after the lighting of the menorah, however, I was unable to put them on the playlist of music that I have on this site -- they just weren't available there. I did find a wonderful website that explains a lot about Chanukah, it's meaning, prayers, songs, and sacred traditions:
You may or may not know that the Jewish holiday, Chanukah (or Hanukkah) begins at sundown on the 21st of December this year. At that time, the first candle of the menorah will be lit. Each night during the next eight days, another candle will be lit. There are beautiful Jewish songs that are sung before and after the lighting of the menorah, however, I was unable to put them on the playlist of music that I have on this site -- they just weren't available there. I did find a wonderful website that explains a lot about Chanukah, it's meaning, prayers, songs, and sacred traditions:
http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/104620/jewish/Ner-Rishon.htm
I encourage you to visit this site. I promise you, you will not be disappointed. There are many delightful songs and a wealth of information about the Jewish faith. I have bookmarked it for my personal perusal in the coming year. I am woefully ignorant of this faith, as I am of so many others in the world. I remember when I was young I felt sorry for the Jewish children, as they did not celebrate Christmas, i.e., get all the presents!! Then I was told that during Chanukah each child was given presents every night during the eight-day celebration. Wow! A whole week of receiving gifts! My bubble burst when I was told that only one present per night was given, and that might be one of a pair of gloves one night, and its mate the next!
I am reminded of the first time I experienced religious ignorance as a young child. I was seven and attending a (protestant) church with my great-grandmother in San Antonio. A little boy in my Sunday School class was extolling about the beautiful interior of a church he had seen while passing by when the doors were open. He told of many candles lit, and described an altar with a cross and statues. I was frightened by the reaction of our teacher that morning. She immediately scolded him and told him to never go into such a church -- to pass it by quickly, as they were "idol worshipers", and God would be angry with them and him, too, if he ever went inside. I was more than a little confused, as I had been so enthralled with a loving God -- one who loved all the little children, "red and yellow, black or white, they are precious in His sight" -- an all-encompassing, forgiving, loving Father. How could this same God not be proud to have a pretty church in which we could worship Him? I struggled with many similar questions for years in my youth.
One of my favorite memories of Christmas is of trying to "catch" Santa in the act! I was determined this could be done if I could only stay awake! One year we spent Christmas at my paternal grandparents who lived on a ranch in Miles at the time. This was the first time in my memory that there was an actual fireplace in the living room, with the Christmas tree standing beside it. Santa would surely come down that chimney! That night my sister and I were to sleep in twin beds in the guest room. I had the ingenious idea that if we tied a string to our big toes and stretched it from one bed to the other, we could keep each other awake by pulling on the string when we thought the other was falling asleep! So much for that good idea. After several tugs, we both fell asleep at the same time!
I got a few responses after the Thanksgiving blog. PAUL MOTA wrote this:
I am reminded of the first time I experienced religious ignorance as a young child. I was seven and attending a (protestant) church with my great-grandmother in San Antonio. A little boy in my Sunday School class was extolling about the beautiful interior of a church he had seen while passing by when the doors were open. He told of many candles lit, and described an altar with a cross and statues. I was frightened by the reaction of our teacher that morning. She immediately scolded him and told him to never go into such a church -- to pass it by quickly, as they were "idol worshipers", and God would be angry with them and him, too, if he ever went inside. I was more than a little confused, as I had been so enthralled with a loving God -- one who loved all the little children, "red and yellow, black or white, they are precious in His sight" -- an all-encompassing, forgiving, loving Father. How could this same God not be proud to have a pretty church in which we could worship Him? I struggled with many similar questions for years in my youth.
One of my favorite memories of Christmas is of trying to "catch" Santa in the act! I was determined this could be done if I could only stay awake! One year we spent Christmas at my paternal grandparents who lived on a ranch in Miles at the time. This was the first time in my memory that there was an actual fireplace in the living room, with the Christmas tree standing beside it. Santa would surely come down that chimney! That night my sister and I were to sleep in twin beds in the guest room. I had the ingenious idea that if we tied a string to our big toes and stretched it from one bed to the other, we could keep each other awake by pulling on the string when we thought the other was falling asleep! So much for that good idea. After several tugs, we both fell asleep at the same time!I got a few responses after the Thanksgiving blog. PAUL MOTA wrote this:
"My daughter and the grandchildren spent a few days over Thanksgiving and even our son-in-law managed to arrive on Wednesday after dealing with pet problems in Houston. But we all had a great time and at our age, we have to cherish all the good times available to us. Our plans are to spend a few days in Houston over the Christmas holidays. I hope all of the Class of '57 have a great Christmas."
"Merry Christmas and a Harley New Year!" wrote TER COTHRAN. He was to take his lady friend (not on the Harley, I hope) this weekend to the Glendale Police Association's annual Christmas party, which he attends as often as he can. Then he is delivering Christmas gifts to his daughter and her husband, Amy and Paul.
Someone asked me what my Christmas plans are this year. Whoa! Do we have plans!! This year most of the family will meet at my daughter Carajean's home in Amarillo. I got a tentative count of around twenty who will be in attendance. My sister is too ill to travel, so her family won't be represented. One year we had over 30 sleep over. There were beds everywhere! I went to let the dog out through the laundry room, and discovered an air mattress next to the dog's bed. My great-nephew Justin had decided to come at the last minute, so he got the "dog house"! This was in 2000, and the year a lot of us got snowed in! It was also the year that the day everyone finally started to leave, a vicious stomach virus began to make the rounds. It was a memorable Christmas for many reasons!
My daughter's home is extremely large. So large that when they moved in, my granddaughter Ashlyn, who was only three years old, complained loudly about how far it was from her room in one wing to the kitchen, family room, and Mom and Dad's room in the other wing. She shortened that distance by riding her tricycle to get from one room to the other! In 2000, my dear mother who was suffering early stages of Alzheimer's kept getting lost trying to find her room. Once we found her at the door to the garage. She was puzzling over the Security Alarm buttons by the door. When I asked her what she was doing there, she said she was trying to open the door to her room! When I told her where she was, she said, "Oh! I thought this was a hotel."
There are five (5) fireplaces in their home. How confused Santa must be when he delivers the goods to that family! In 2000 he made a personal appearance on Christmas Eve, but the two youngest children were frightened by him, so he was asked to keep his visit secret in the future!
So many in the family are musical, that we started a tradition of singing Christmas carols and
having everyone who plays an instrument perform for us when we are together.. Usually on Christmas Eve. Since we started this tradition, there are six more grandchildren (two are BOB and Ann's) added to our family. Carajean and her family play stringed instruments ~ Carrie plays viola, the two girls play violin, and her son plays cello. Her husband Branch took piano lessons, so maybe he will accompany us this year. My son Craig, who played guitar at Carajean and Branch's wedding, always delights us with Christmas music. Now his son Cameron plays guitar also, and has been requested to sing some operatic music (not accompanied by his guitar!) for his Aunt Carrie this Christmas. I remember the first Christmas he performed. Not having discovered his "voice" yet, he played a short piece for us on his harmonica! I'm not certain what the other "little" ones will do this year, but I'm certain they will perform in one way or another. I hear that Travis (age 6) and his little sister Kelly (age 3) have been learning a piece to play on the piano for us. The ones of us who are musically challenged will be more than happy to join in the chorus when the carols are sung!
During all the celebrations, BOB (BURTON) reigns king over Carrie's kitchen. (Although, Ann is the reigning queen of omelets, even flipping them into the air!) He is quite the gourmet cook, and most of the women are happy to relinquish the cooking to him. We do join in for cleanups, however, and I can be talked into making a salad or two, and maybe a vegetable casserole. I will bring my gingerbread men and decorated Christmas cookies for the little ones, fudge for the big boys, and we all usually join in to help create a gingerbread house for the annual contest held by the Archer clan. I am really looking forward to this family get-together, as you can probably tell.
One more thing before I close. DORIS (STOKES) AND DON WHITE have twin grandsons who are five months old now. When I went to get the flu vaccine in September, I ran into DORIS. Her daughter and those adorable twins, three months old at the time, were in the car. DORIS told me at the time that one of the babies had a stroke shortly after being born, but no effects had shown up yet. She recently emailed me the following: "My new grandsons will be five months old the seventeenth. Garison and Graham are their names. Garison had a stroke ~ we are not sure when, but we discovered it when he was three weeks old. He is doing okay for now, so please keep him in your prayers. We are doing fine. Hope you are the same. MERRY CHRISTMAS." May these beautiful babes be happy and healthy.
And may you all be happy and healthy now and throughout the coming year. As Tiny Tim said, "God bless us everyone."
Marilyn
"Merry Christmas and a Harley New Year!" wrote TER COTHRAN. He was to take his lady friend (not on the Harley, I hope) this weekend to the Glendale Police Association's annual Christmas party, which he attends as often as he can. Then he is delivering Christmas gifts to his daughter and her husband, Amy and Paul.Someone asked me what my Christmas plans are this year. Whoa! Do we have plans!! This year most of the family will meet at my daughter Carajean's home in Amarillo. I got a tentative count of around twenty who will be in attendance. My sister is too ill to travel, so her family won't be represented. One year we had over 30 sleep over. There were beds everywhere! I went to let the dog out through the laundry room, and discovered an air mattress next to the dog's bed. My great-nephew Justin had decided to come at the last minute, so he got the "dog house"! This was in 2000, and the year a lot of us got snowed in! It was also the year that the day everyone finally started to leave, a vicious stomach virus began to make the rounds. It was a memorable Christmas for many reasons!
My daughter's home is extremely large. So large that when they moved in, my granddaughter Ashlyn, who was only three years old, complained loudly about how far it was from her room in one wing to the kitchen, family room, and Mom and Dad's room in the other wing. She shortened that distance by riding her tricycle to get from one room to the other! In 2000, my dear mother who was suffering early stages of Alzheimer's kept getting lost trying to find her room. Once we found her at the door to the garage. She was puzzling over the Security Alarm buttons by the door. When I asked her what she was doing there, she said she was trying to open the door to her room! When I told her where she was, she said, "Oh! I thought this was a hotel."
There are five (5) fireplaces in their home. How confused Santa must be when he delivers the goods to that family! In 2000 he made a personal appearance on Christmas Eve, but the two youngest children were frightened by him, so he was asked to keep his visit secret in the future!
So many in the family are musical, that we started a tradition of singing Christmas carols and
having everyone who plays an instrument perform for us when we are together.. Usually on Christmas Eve. Since we started this tradition, there are six more grandchildren (two are BOB and Ann's) added to our family. Carajean and her family play stringed instruments ~ Carrie plays viola, the two girls play violin, and her son plays cello. Her husband Branch took piano lessons, so maybe he will accompany us this year. My son Craig, who played guitar at Carajean and Branch's wedding, always delights us with Christmas music. Now his son Cameron plays guitar also, and has been requested to sing some operatic music (not accompanied by his guitar!) for his Aunt Carrie this Christmas. I remember the first Christmas he performed. Not having discovered his "voice" yet, he played a short piece for us on his harmonica! I'm not certain what the other "little" ones will do this year, but I'm certain they will perform in one way or another. I hear that Travis (age 6) and his little sister Kelly (age 3) have been learning a piece to play on the piano for us. The ones of us who are musically challenged will be more than happy to join in the chorus when the carols are sung!During all the celebrations, BOB (BURTON) reigns king over Carrie's kitchen. (Although, Ann is the reigning queen of omelets, even flipping them into the air!) He is quite the gourmet cook, and most of the women are happy to relinquish the cooking to him. We do join in for cleanups, however, and I can be talked into making a salad or two, and maybe a vegetable casserole. I will bring my gingerbread men and decorated Christmas cookies for the little ones, fudge for the big boys, and we all usually join in to help create a gingerbread house for the annual contest held by the Archer clan. I am really looking forward to this family get-together, as you can probably tell.
One more thing before I close. DORIS (STOKES) AND DON WHITE have twin grandsons who are five months old now. When I went to get the flu vaccine in September, I ran into DORIS. Her daughter and those adorable twins, three months old at the time, were in the car. DORIS told me at the time that one of the babies had a stroke shortly after being born, but no effects had shown up yet. She recently emailed me the following: "My new grandsons will be five months old the seventeenth. Garison and Graham are their names. Garison had a stroke ~ we are not sure when, but we discovered it when he was three weeks old. He is doing okay for now, so please keep him in your prayers. We are doing fine. Hope you are the same. MERRY CHRISTMAS." May these beautiful babes be happy and healthy.And may you all be happy and healthy now and throughout the coming year. As Tiny Tim said, "God bless us everyone."
Marilyn
Marilyn,
ReplyDeleteYour Christmas article was as always perfectly delightful. I wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas, 2008, as I also do all my classmates of 1957.
June