| Chanukah Reflections |
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| Written by Liz and Stephanie Orenstein | |||||
| Tuesday, 07 December 2004 | |||||
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Where have all the Presents Gone? When we were kids, it was a family tradition to go down to Milwaukee and have an enormous Chanukah party with our father’s side of the family. And this was no average Chanukah party. We’d fill the big blue Ford Crown Victoria station wagon with presents packed to the roof – just enough room for dad to see out the rearview mirror. An hour and a half, two cassette tapes of Raffi, and three bathroom breaks later, we were there. We’d pull into the long, winding driveway, and already we could see it: the dining room table piled high with gifts. We would open the car doors and race into the house, dodging the enormous dog, hoping for a glimpse at the labels on the gifts with our names on them. When all hope was lost, we would run down into the basement with our cousins to play house, bank, or the classic Nintendo. We’d wait…and wait…and wait, until finally Grandma would call “Kiiiiiiiiiidddds!” We’d run upstairs hoping it was time for presents, only to find it was time for dinner instead. We’d rush through our food, hardly even tasting dessert – who wants chocolate when there are presents waiting? After the parents finished their coffee, ate their cake, and did the dishes, it was time. After we kids carefully carried the presents from the dining room to the family room, Uncle Bob would distribute the gifts. It was the greatest sight to be seen. The piles of presents would be bigger than all of us kids – we had so many boxes. There was always a contest to see who had the most presents, but we always lost. Our parents gave us our gifts at home. But that was then, and this is now. Now, instead of making a special trip for Chanukah, Thanksgiving and Chanukah have officially merged into one. No longer are we singing to Raffi, but instead we are fighting over who has to sit in the back of the minivan. But the worst part of all is not the drive to Milwaukee, but the disappointment when all we see is a stack of envelopes. Don’t get us wrong – there’s nothing terrible about an envelope full of money or a gift card to Barnes and Noble. It’s just that it’s not the same. We understand Chanukah is more than about the presents, but when you think about it, the eight days of oil was a present to the Maccabees. So this year when you are giving gifts for Chanukah, remember: eight days of Chanukah means eight equally excellent gifts; and if you’re giving money or a gift card, put it in a box and wrap it – it’s much more fun! Chag Sameach!
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