getting ready for xmas

Last week my cubemate was off serving the country in the reserves so I took the opportunity to play (read: BLAST) some xmas songs. My good friend Tim, download queen, gave me a bunch of xmas songs and I was rocking the open space with them (Thanks, Tim!). Most people (even those wearing kippers) didn't mind. Although they did joke that they would take my certificate away.

At home we've had the sparkly lights we got in Haifa last year on the tree. Its a real evergreen fir tree but its a bit of a stretch for it to aspire to be a xmas tree. Its branches are weak and droopy. The tree is about 3 foot tall. With the lights and the xmas songs playing it just about does the job.

I've had no mince pies, no carol singing, no xmas office parties, seen barely a sprig of tinsel.
The kids have been taught the true spirit of xmas. That means: tree, gifts, father christmas, and gifts, set to a soundtrack of Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and Elvis. I know some people get all angry that xmas has become so commercialized and that people today miss the true spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ's birth. I remember being like that in my former incarnation as a practising catholic.

Today I am many many moons away. I want my kids to know that excited feeling of presents and stockings. The gifts are relatively small and not about what's the biggest next best thing. Tomorrow I am taking them back to England to try and capture a bit of the season for them. On the one hand I should have gone earlier as preXmas is always funner than postXmas. On the other hand, it was important for me that they light the hanukah candles with their grandmother and friends, and remember the miracle of the oil. Of the Maccabeans winning against Hellinism. I know all the words to O Come All Ye Faithful IN LATIN! but I can barely get through Surah Hoshech, Ner Li Ner Li or Sevivon Sov Sov Sov.

Yes, we are going for xmas. But I am going to pack a hanukiah. I call this coexistance.
For us this is about celebrating traditions.
Its hanuxmas my way. And I don't think you can judge me.