Parenting Christmas Archives

Why My Jewish Kids Love their Advent Calendars

I was at Trader Joe’s the other day and bought an advent calendar. For my dog. While this does make me...

Parenting Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories, Tu Bishvat, Young Kids

Why We’ll Be the Family in Midwood Without a Sukkah

I think my family never celebrated Sukkot (the Jewish harvest festival that comes after Yom Kippur) because...

Parenting Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories, Parenting Sukkot, Yom Kippur

A Thank-You Note to My Mother-In-Law

My mother-in-law’s email about Christmas gifts for her was simple: “Have composed an extensive ‘Wish...

Grandparents, In-laws, Motherhood, Parenting Christmas

The Miracle of Light

This interfaith holiday season has been trickier than I thought. If there is a lot of planning, cooking and...

Parenting Challenges, Parenting Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories

To Tree or Not To Tree

The dual holiday extravaganza this season is more work than I thought it would be. But, it’s important for...

Extended Family, Hanukkah Rituals, Holiday Toolbox, Parenting Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories

The Start of My Jewish Family’s Interfaith Education

Once upon a time, I was a kid growing up in North Jersey in the ‘80s, and I had a pretty clear idea of who...

Christmas, Divorce, Parenting Christmas, Parenting Stories, Young Kids

The Twelve Days of Interfaith Holidays

With not quite 12 days between Hanukkah and Christmas this year (depending on just how you count), I thought...

Parenting Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories

Reflections on Hanukkah

Eight nights of wax have hardened on the little menorah that has traveled with me for more 25 years of Hanukkah...

Parenting Challenges, Parenting Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories

Two Holidays, Twice the Festivities: But One at a Time

I have always loved the holiday season, and celebrating Hanukkah as an interfaith family brings with it an extra...

Parenting Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories, Young Kids

There is Something You Should Know, We Have a Christmas Tree

This is about a different kind of December dilemma. It is not about whether my family should have a tree–we...

Parenting Challenges, Parenting Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories

The Unintended Consequences of Blintzes for Blitzen

My Jewish husband and I (a Unitarian Universalist) might not have known what we were getting into when we decided...

Parenting Challenges, Parenting Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories

Take the Dilemma out of December

Last year, Hanukkah came early (remember that once in every 77,000 years Thanksgivukkah Celebration?). Back...

Parenting Challenges, Parenting Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories

A Walk in the Woods, A Conversation About Life and Death, A Moment of Connection

A nurse log in the Tongass National Forest in southeastern Alaska. I have a talkative family. Mostly, our everyday...

Grandparents, In-laws, Motherhood, Parenting Christmas

Celebrating Shabbat on Vacation

Lighting the candles with iShabbat in Seattle My family has a regular Shabbat observance. We either celebrate...

Parenting Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories, Young Kids

Christmas Eve Dinner Stress

So tomorrow is Christmas Eve, or as I like to call it, my daughter Kaitlyn’s birthday (what better day to have...

Parenting Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories, Young Kids

Can We Talk?

I was very happy to see a report on Beliefnet that the US Council of Catholic Bishops apologized to Jewish leaders...

Books, Motherhood, Parenting, Parenting Challenges, Parenting Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Young Kids

Parenting Christmas

Stay in the know.