By DANIELLE COHN, Special to the Palisadian-Post The radio is blaring holiday songs. The stores are advertising their wares as ‘the perfect holiday gifts.”Thousands of miles away you know snow must be falling. It’s that time of year again’the holidays are here. Everyone has a different way of dealing with the holidays, whether the holiday is Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa’you name it. Some rush around from dawn ’til dusk and some save their shopping, decorating and cooking for the last possible millisecond. Of course there are those people who finish all their shopping in July. I don’t know any of them. And no matter what the holiday, everyone has their own traditions.’ In my family, we celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah. First of all, it’s Christmas in the car. For a month, my mom has us listen to holiday mania on Coast 103.5 while it’s 80 degrees and I’m wearing a t-shirt. The Southern California weather is still weird to me, as I’m from New York City, where you actually have to wear a jacket in the winter. Oh, well, it’s still fun. Another thing my family always does is light the menorah on Hanukkah. Our menorah doesn’t look like a traditional menorah. The Hanukkah scene has 3D figurines of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto playing music and dreidel games. A ‘Happy Hanukkah’ banner is strung on the wall behind them. Eight candle holders await candles. On top of a present is the Shumash [the candle that lights the others]. We recently developed an untraditional tradition for our Hanukkah. One night, on or around Hanukkah, we go to our Jewish grandmother’s house to trim her Christmas tree, which is next to her electric menorah. After we’re all hungry from the tree trimming, we order in Chinese food.’ ‘ On the other side of the family, our holiday tradition goes back to before I was born. Every Christmas, we go to my grandparents’ house in Teaneck, New Jersey. We bake cookies and trim the Christmas tree with all sorts of ornaments. We leave out cookies for Santa (and sometimes carrots and celery for the reindeer). We actually wear coats and jackets when we go outside. Sometimes it even snows, and we make snow angels, build snowmen and have snowball fights!’We also see old friends, and share the season with them. Then, on Christmas day, we open presents in the morning and later have Christmas dinner.’ Really, Christmas and Hanukkah aren’t that different. Essentially, they’re both about celebrating miracles and renewing hope. They’re about giving and sharing and getting along. Both are a time to appreciate the family and friends around you, and to marvel at how lucky you really are. So celebrate miracles, hope, love, light and laughter this holiday season. Danielle Cohn was 12 years old when she wrote this. Today, she is a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Michigan.
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