Chrismukkah

Now, I know that Hanumas doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, in fact, it makes me think of Havana and the Bahamas, but anyway, I don't know that I love Chrismukkah so much, either. However, it seems that Chrismukkah is here to stay. There is even a chrismukkah.com. And on said site, there's a Chrismukkah blog. Someone commented and sort of hit on the head the nail that has been poking me: Chrismukkah, and apparently also the cookbook put out by the chrismukkah.com people, sort of bastardizes both holidays.

The name itself bothers me in that it retains most of "Christmas" and very little of "Hanukah." Like, "here's the Christian holiday we're pretending to include Jews in." But who exactly is including who in what? Do Jews want to be included in Christmas? I think a lot of Jews spend the "Christmas season" trying desperately to avoid Christmas. Now there are Blitzen Blintzes? Do Christians feel left out of Hanukah? Is this an attempt for Christians to "play Hanukah," using the excuse that it's all one holiday now?

I don't have any insight into what it's like for a Jewish family with small children to deal with Christmas. I fortunately didn't have to ask my parents why Santa wasn't coming to give ME presents. I unfortunately will have to explain this to MY children, which will be sad. But maybe it won't be so bad for them, since I sort of expect there to be presents under my parents' tree for my kids. Santa comes to Gramma and Grandpa's house, but our house is strictly Hanukah Harry only. Or whatever.

So, maybe this blending thing started because Jewish parents feel bad for their children and just don't care about Judaism enough to make the distinction for them. Or, they're really bitter about their own experiences with Christmas and don't want their kids to be bitter, in an attempt to appease them about being Jewish so they don't abandon Judaism.

OR, it's an attempt by Christians to either include the poor Jews who can't have Santa, or to do the sort of taboo Jewish things that I know I was sort of jealous of as a kid, the menorah and the eight days of gifts.

Who the hell knows. It's just a little disturbing. But... maybe Blitzen Blintzes are just too good to put down...