KIND OF A JEWISH CHRISTMAS STORY…. WHEN MY SISTER SANDY AND I WERE YOUNG, WE NOTICED THAT OUR PARENTS HAD MANY GENTILE FRIENDS WHO CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS. IN FACT FOR MANY YEARS WE WOULD SPEND CHRISTMAS DAY WITH THEIR FRIENDS THE LAWLESSES WHO WERE EXTREMELY WELL OFF AND DID OPULENT DECORATIONS IN AND OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSE. NOW OUR UNCLE DAVID (GRANDPA MANNY’S BROTHER) CHRISTMAS WAS A MAJOR DO IN THAT HIS WONDERFUL WIFE, HELEN, WAS GENTILE. UNCLE DAVID WOULD HOLD HIS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY AND THE ENTIRE FRIEDMAN-SCHERMER CLAN WOULD ATTEND. IT WAS CATERED WITH A SUMPTUOUS FEAST, CHAMPAGNE, GRAND DECORATIONS AND AN EVEN GRANDER TREE. FOR YEARS HE WOULD ALSO RENT A SOUND PROJECTOR AND ABOUT TWO DOZEN CARTOONS FROM SWANK FILMS TO KEEP US YOUNGUNS OCCUPIED. IT WAS, NEXT TO CHANUKAH, THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON. BUT ALL THIS EXPOSURE TO CHRISTMAS CONFUSED US, I THINK. WE WONDERED WHY WE DIDN’T GET TO HANG STOCKINGS ON THE MANTLE. WE DIDN’T UNDERSTAND WHY WE DIDN’T/COULDN’T HAVE A CHRISTMAS TREE. NOW SANDY IS/WAS AS STUBBORN AS I AND SHE SORT OF CONFRONTED DAD ABOUT HAVING A TREE. WELL THAT DIDN’T SIT TOO WELL WITH HIM AND HE FORBADE HER TO HAVE ONE. LET ALONE TALK ABOUT IT. BUT THAT DIDN’T DETER HER. AT THE ENTRANCE TO OUR SUBDIVISION (CLAYSHIRE) THERE WAS A CHRISTMAS TREE LOT NEXT TO THE “FLAMING PIT” RESTAURANT (AS I RECALL THE FOOD WAS AMAZING!) SHE HIKED DOWN THERE ONE DAY AND MADE A DEAL WITH THE LOT OWNER PAYING SOMETHING LIKE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS FOR EVERY FALLEN PINE SPRIG SHE COULD PICK UP OFF THE GROUND. NOW BEING CREATIVE AND INDUSTRIOUS AS SHE WAS SHE PROCEEDED TO BRING THESE SPRIGS HOME AND CONSTRUCTED A MAKE-SHIFT PINE BUSH IN THE BASEMENT. ONE EVENING DAD HAD TO GO DOWN STAIRS WHERE HE DISCOVERED THIS HAND MADE ARBOREAL MASTERPIECE AND BELLOWED (NO EXAGGERATION) FOR SANDY TO COME DOWNSTAIRS. NEEDLESS TO SAY MOM AND I WERE RIGHT BEHIND HER. WHEN WE ARRIVED DOWN STAIRS DAD, MIRACULOUSLY HOLDING HIS TEMPER, DEMANDED TO KNOW WHAT HE WAS LOOKING AT. WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT SANDY REPLIED “IT’S A CHANUKAH BUSH.” HE DIDN’T HAVE A RETORT TO THAT BECAUSE SHE HAD DECORATED THIS LITTLE THING WITH CHAINS MADE OF BLUE AND WHITE CONSTRUCTION PAPER RINGS, I THINK SHE ALSO HAD STRUNG STRANDS OF POPCORN AROUND IT TOO AND ATOP IT WAS A HAND MADE MOGEN DAVID. DAD DIDN’T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT AND HE LEFT IT ALONE. I THINK HE KNEW HE WAS BEAT. NOW MOM ALSO SAW THAT WE FELT LEFT OUT AND DID SOMETHING AMAZING ANS SWEET. I DON’T KNOW IF SHE CAME UP WITH THIS ON HER OWN OUR GOT THE IDEA OUT OF A MAGAZINE. SHE SECRETLY MADE TWO CLOTH DREDELS OUT OF BLUE FELT. SHE CUT THE HEBREW LETTER ONE FINDS ON A DREDEL IN BRIGHT ORANGE FELT (IRONICALLY THE COLORS OF CLAYTON HIGH SCHOOL). THE MORNING AFTER THE FIRST NIGHT OF CHANUKAH WE FOUND THE DREDELS HUNG FROM OUR BEDROOM DOOR KNOBS FILLED WITH CANDY AND STO9CKIGN STUFFERS, AND OF COURSE CHOCOLATE GELT. WE NEVER FELT LEFT OUT AGAIN. THE UP-SHOT OF MOM ‘S ARTS-&-CRAFTS PROJECT WAS THAT SOMEONE AT TEMPLE ISRAEL’S SISTERHOOD SHOP GOT WIND OF MOM’S PROJECT AND ASKED IF SHE WOULD MAKE SOME TO SELL IN THE SISTERHOOD SHOP. NEEDLESS TO SAY WE GOT THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 05:31:45 +0000
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