Chappy Chanukah

Every year our family celebrates one night of Chanukah with whatever Jewish or sympathetic friends we can find.  We especially appreciate Jewish friends because we don’t actually know what we’re doing.  My family is not very observant Ukrainian Catholic, and Charlie’s is even less observant Jewish.  So beyond the latkes, dreidels, gelt and the menorah at nightfall, we pretty much wing it.

I had planned for tonight to be our Chanukah night.  My children have been sick all week though, and yesterday I finally woke up sick myself.  So I had stopped inviting people, and thought we wouldn’t celebrate at all this year.  I’ve been in bed almost all day, with muscle aches and coughing for the brief periods where I rouse myself.

So I was delighted when I wandered down just after nightfall to discover my daughter Birdie, who takes these things seriously (she chose her own name, in honour of her Jewish great-great-grandmother), dishing out latkes on a table decked out for the celebration.  Little Loren was pointing at the candles and wiping his greasy hands on the tablecloth.

Happy Chanukah to all who celebrate.