Parenting Hanukkah 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

How Hanukkah, Christmas and a New Baby Inspired My Children’s Book

Lauren with her family As a young couple, my husband and I sailed through our early holiday seasons together....

Christmas, Family, Hanukkah, Newlywed, Parenting Hanukkah

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

Rejecting Chrismukkah?

Back in 2003, I thought it was amazing when Seth Cohen from The O.C. first taught the world about the magic...

Christmas, Family, Hanukkah, Hanukkah Rituals, Parenting Hanukkah

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

A Recipe for Conversation and Holiday Cookies

For some of us in interfaith homes, December can highlight sticky situations. There are questions of how to...

Christmas, Dessert, Hanukkah, Hanukkah Food, Hanukkah Rituals, Jewish Holiday Food, Parenting Hanukkah, Recipes

A Not-So-Cookie Cutter Hanukkah

We were late. ‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the aisles of Target, my husband and I were...

Christmas, Dessert, Hanukkah, Hanukkah Food, Hanukkah Rituals, Jewish Holidays Food, Parenting Hanukkah, Recipes

Charity Begins At Home, Part 2

My son helping to pack snack boxes at the North Texas Food Bank in January. Last night, my family watched NFL...

Parenting, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories

A New Jewish Mothers First Attempt at Christmas Cookies

My mother lives three blocks away from me. Her house is filled with artwork. There is a statue of Moses and...

Babies, Hanukkah, Jewish Holidays, Parenting, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories

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

My Kids Are Jewish, With or Without Christmas

Christmas Eve walk through the neighborhood luminaries. As the only Jewish kid in my small town in Pennsylvania,...

Christmas, Hanukkah, Identity, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories, Relationships

3 Tips for Teachers During the Holidays

By Stefani Wiemann Stefanie and her family The holiday season is upon us. Christmas music plays in restaurants,...

Christmas, Hanukkah, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Other Holidays, Parenting Tips and Advice, Religious Education

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

What’s the Right Holiday Greeting?

I have to say that I have mixed feelings about “the holiday season.” While I love the beauty of the lights and...

Christmas, Hanukkah, Parenting Hanukkah

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

Ask What Your Kid Really Thinks of Hanukkah & Christmas

We tend to ask our children the same questions over and over which are super hard to answer. Educators...

Hanukkah, Jewish Holidays, Parenting Hanukkah

My Mom and Her Hanukkah Angels

Friends lighting the menorah at Mychal’s family’s Hanukkah party circa 1986 When I was growing up,...

Christmas, Family, Grandparents, Hanukkah, Hanukkah Rituals, Parenting Hanukkah

Ice Cream Pyramids for Jon Stewart (and You)

Jon Stewart, born Jonathan Leibowitz, is one of America’s best known Jews, and also in an inter-faith marriage....

New Parents, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Purim, 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

Israel-Lights & Christmas Stockings

When I was very small, my family used to light our Hanukkah menorah alongside our decorated Christmas tree....

Christmas, Hanukkah, Parenting, Parenting Hanukkah

A Hanukkah Giving Ritual Takes the Competition Out of The Season

Years ago, I struggled with how I was going to do Hanukkah in our home. Christmas was already set. We visit...

Christmas, Hanukkah, Parenting, Parenting Hanukkah

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

O Menorah Tree! O Menorah Tree! Thy Candles Shine so Brightly!

‘Tis the season for Jewish Scrooges to say, “Bah! Humbug!” to anything that they judge to be a blend of Hanukkah...

Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories

Parenting Hanukkah

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