One of my favorite topics of conversation amongst those who aren't Jewish, is their family's holiday traditions. I'm so fascinated by them, seeing as how mine is so nontraditional - consisting of cramming dozens of just out of the oven latkes into my facehole, followed by a corned beef on rye which has been catered into our home, all the while consuming vast amounts of wine with my huge, awesome family. Gifts are given to the children only, and the twenty or so minutes of unwrapping are pandemonium of the greatest kind.
I never have to travel anywhere, and I get to spend Christmas weekend all alone in my lovely Los Angeles, which is happily void of crowds and tourists. This year I plan on making chocolate dipped pretzels for a Christmas Eve get-together at a friend's, hiking through Griffith Park, and sipping Hot Toddies (even though it's like 75 and sunny here in Southern California) while reading my awesome book about the Nuremberg trials. Not exactly a typical Christmas, but there will be no horror stories to be told outside of my book, and that's just how I like it.
Now appease my curiosity and tell me about your Holiday traditions and horror stories! The more horrific the better, as I am nothing if not morbidly curious, but sweet stories welcome, too.
My dad and I last Christmas Day, after eating at a Jewish deli.
6 comments:
http://plainchina.bennington.edu/wordpress/index.php/nonfiction/islands/
A link to the short non-fiction piece I wrote about my most horrific Christmas travel experience. I don't understand why I do this to myself every year, either.
This happened in Glendale CA. My dad decided Christmas trees were too expensive one year and so we would get a cheap or free one Christmas Eve. All eight of us (six kids) would pile into into the station wagon on Christmas Eve, have dinner at a Mexican restaurant, and then we would try and find a cheap/free tree. This got harder and harder as the years went on as the tree lots would either insist on charging full price or they would be locked up. Sometimes we would drive to five different lots or more. Kids in a station wagon with nothing to do on Christmas Eve listening to holiday music more suited to a fireplace and cookies will start squabbling about a) if there's no tree, there's no tree, let's just go home. b) how our father just wanted to save money so he could have another margarita. c) we still have to decorate it and wouldn't be done for midnight mass or to meet the boy/girlfriend. d) how this "tradition" wouldn't last... but every year same thing. To this day, our family goes separate ways at Christmas. Last year was our first complete reunion in around 18 years. Thanks Dad! (Admittedly, we're scattered all over the globe so it's really hard.)
I don't have any horror stories however I loved reading your post about how you celebrate the holidays. My holidays are a mixed bag. I am going to my BF parents for Christmas and for Hanukkah this year my BF and I finally remembered to light the Menorah candles on the last night and we each picked a candle and watched which one would burn down first. I won!!
My nephews are coming over for christmas. There's the true face of horror for you.
Did you just read Kafka on the Shore? I recently finished it, and thought about reading about the Nuremberg trials too.
Sara Judy - LOVED your story! You're an awesome writer.
Hugh - Honestly, that sounds totally awesome, in an "I'm so glad my childhood is over, but at least I have these awesome stories to tell" kinda way. I'm sure you have a harder time seeing it that way though. Hah.
Jennifer - Hope your trip to your BF's house went well! It's been a while, but that kinda thing always makes me nervous. What if they don't like me?? What if I don't like them???! What if I accidentally feed the family dog chocolate and it dies???! Have I mentioned I worry too much? Hope you didn't kill any beloved pets.
Giles - Dude, I feel you. I'm lucky enough to have awesome kids in my family, but I've indeed met the other sort, and it is the face of evil, no doubt.
Sammer - I read it a while ago, but my best friend is reading it right now. I absolutely loved it. The Nuremberg book I'm reading is enthralling. I seriously can't put it down. If you're at all interested in the Nazi party, this book will really reveal a lot of interesting bits and pieces. I can't recommend it enough. Here's the link to the book: http://www.amazon.com/Nuremberg-Infamy-Joseph-E-Persico/dp/014016622X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262033951&sr=8-4
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