HANUKKAH: OUR FAMILY TRADITIONS - HOLIDAY BLOG TOUR

**UPDATE**
The Holiday Blog Tour is from 2017


What's a nice Jewish girl doing in a Cozy At Christmas Holiday Blog Tour? 
Writing about Hanukkah traditions, of course!
 Thank you, to my friend, Katie, at Let's Add Sprinkles for including me!
At the bottom of this post, you will find links to 25 bloggers participating in the tour.
I hope you will visit them........
But first, let's talk about Hanukkah! 

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Hanukkah is six days away, and how much have I done so far?
Zero, zilch, nada.
It's not that it takes much time to get ready..........
There's no decorating involved, as I've explained before.
Really, all I have to do is go down to the basement and bring up a few things.........
it will probably take me all of 20 minutes, but I'm procrastinating.  

Okay, I'm getting off my lazy derriere right this minute to haul that stuff upstairs. 

As I pull out menorahs, dreidels, and the like,
it's hard not to get caught up in the memories that each piece conjures up.

There's the big brass menorah that belonged to my grandparents, who I never knew.
I think it's one of the only things they brought with them from Russia,
and although I'm not 100% sure of that fact, I like to think it's true. 
There are no markings on it that I can find, 
and I'm guessing this menorah is both worthless and priceless, if that makes any sense.  
Perhaps if Antiques Roadshow makes a stop in NJ some time soon,
I can have that question answered.
I polish it up, and it looks pretty darn good for being at least a hundred years old.

 
Oh, here's the cheapy one I bought at CVS -- I don't even remember when,
but probably at least 20 years ago.

I don't remember if I bought the menorah "house" for Junior GS, or if someone else did.
Regardless, it was his clear favorite throughout childhood.
He loved deciding which candles to use each night.

I remember the first time we let him use the Shamash (the main candle) 
to light the other candles.......

It was a rite of passage!

Junior GS made the other two menorahs back in his pre-school days,

and they'll be on display just as they are every year.

I wonder whose brilliant idea it was to make a menorah out of wood???
Needless to say, we don't light that one, lol! 

I check the bulbs for the electric menorah I've had since my first apartment.

Still working! I don't think I've ever replaced them, lol!
Its place of honor is in the living room window for all to see,

as it's considered a "mitzvah" (a religious good deed) 
to remind the world of the Hanukkah miracle.

The menorah we bought in Israel is so beautiful,

and such a work of art, I can't bear to see it only at Hanukkah,

so it stays on display in the family room all year round.

 For Hanukkah, it comes off the shelf to join the other menorahs.

I place the 2,000 year-old pottery pieces we got in Israel next to it,

which brings a lump to my throat, as it does every year.

 The menorah and the pottery have a special story (read about that here), 

the telling of which has become a tradition of mine for the past five years,
and will continue as long as I can get people to listen!

As far back as my memory goes, 
this is the menorah my parents lit when my sister and I were kids.
We'd fight over who got to choose the candles each night.
It's in terrible shape, and probably of no monetary value, 
but I'll never get rid of it.
 Boy, it brings back memories..........
especially the tradition we had of finding the presents 
which my parents hid under the couch, in a plant, on a shelf.

After saying the blessing over the candles, and lighting them, 
half the excitement of Hanukkah was searching for those gifts......
the other half was opening them, of course! 
I still remember when I found a Barbie Dream House behind the dining room drapes.
Man, that was the best Hanukkah ever!

We've continued the gift-hiding tradition with Junior GS all these years.
I wonder if he'll still want to play that game now that he's in college!
"You're getting colder, warmer, burning hot!' 
I'm preparing myself to hear that this is a tradition we should put to rest. 

Eighteen years ago, our friends gave this dreidel to Junior GS when he was born!
 


Oh, and this one? Such fond memories of finding it on clearance 
at TJ Maxx a couple of years ago, lol!

Junior GS bought me a little pillow at the school holiday fair
back when he was in elementary school.
I still adore it. 
 I hang it on the door knob, and that is the extent of my Hanukkah decorating.
Done and done. 

Okay, now I need to start thinking about gifts, which are mostly for Junior GS.
He's away at college, so our tradition of a gift (or two) 
on each of the eight nights will have to be modified.
Is he too old for that?
Nah, I don't think so........
Maybe I'll mail a couple to him, and then when he comes home, 
we can do the gift-a-night thing.
Our tradition has been to give him his big gift on the last night.
But what-oh-what will we give him????

As I'm looking to see if we have any Hanukkah wrapping paper,
my eyes drift over to the ping pong table, which was the "big gift" a few years ago.
It still makes me laugh my head off when I think how the table was delivered, and set up, literally behind Junior GS' back........
He was so oblivious to everything while he was playing his video games,
that it wasn't until the table was completely set up that he noticed it for the first time.

I can't forget a present for Sadie -- she loves Hanukkah!
She gets so excited when she hears us singing the blessing over the candles! 
She starts barking and howling,
because she knows it means a gift for her -- usually a few treats in wrapping paper.

On the last night, she gets her "big" gift, too -- a new toy.

I better contact Aunt Goo Shoes and figure out a date 
for our annual family Hanukkah party. 
Every year, she brings Junior GS a pile of gifts..........

 and she always makes potato latkes!

I'm a wee bit teary as I think about how our Hanukkah traditions 
need to be modified, now that Junior GS is grown. 
Things change.........that's the way it's supposed to be, right?

But, the great thing about traditions is that 
it's never too late to start new ones!

Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate!

 

 I am honored that my Hanukkah post is included in 

the Cozy At Christmas Holiday Blog Tour!

Thank you, Katie, at Let's Add Sprinkles for organizing this extravaganza!

Each day this week, a talented roster of bloggers 

features their takes on the holiday season.

Please visit them, and you are sure to find something that inspires you! 

Cozy At Christmas 

Day 1
County Road 407
The B Farm
Decor To Adore
 Let's Add Sprinkles

Day 2
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Ever Evolving Home
DIY Beautify
Opulent Cottage
Joy In Our Home

Day 3
My Heart Lives Here
Patina and Paint
Hyacinths for the Soul 
My Thrift Store Addiction
Ms. Toody Goo Shoes

Day 4
Poofing the Pillows

Botanic Bleu
At Rivercrest Cottage
White Spray Paint

Day 5

Art and Sand
At Home With Jemma
Monica Wants It 

The Dedicated House

Ash Tree Cottage

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