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  • Approved for CNN

    • Click to view Interfaith12's profile
    Posted December 11, 2012 by
    Interfaith12
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio
    Assignment
    Assignment
    This iReport is part of an assignment:
    Blended holiday traditions

    More iReports you should see

    Chrismukkah: Our Separate but Together Holiday Tradition

    By Interfaith12  |  Posted December 11, 2012  |  Columbus, Ohio
     

    CNN PRODUCER NOTE     Interfaith12 and her husband began celebrating Chrismukkah in their first year of dating, as he's Jewish and she's Methodist. It's a tradition they've been celebrating for nine years. Back in 2006, when they got married, they bought their first Chrismukkah tree. 'I was so excited to get our own Christmas tree, but wanted a way for my husband to be excited about it too ... thus the blue and white lights and more ornaments for him,' she said. They celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas as individual holidays, but some years there's overlap. For Hanukkah, they light the menorah each night, make latkes and exchange small gifts for 8 days. For Christmas, they hang stockings, put up the Chrismukkah tree, bake cookies, open gifts and more.

    'We just welcomed a son to our family and with this as his first 'Chrismukkah season' -- not a blended holiday but rather just the season when both are celebrated at our house -- we couldn't be more excited to introduce him to the fun, the food, and the spirit of each holiday,' she said. Do you celebrate Chrismukkah or another dual holiday? Share your story here.
    - zdan, CNN iReport producer

    Since meeting my husband over 9 years ago, we have gradually created our own traditions as an interfaith household. My husband was raised Jewish, I was raised Methodist, and we celebrate it all. To some people this might seem challenging and strange, but to us, it’s a wonderful way of celebrating and respecting each other’s history and tradition without taking anything away from our own. Some traditions are blended – for example, our otherwise-traditional Christmas tree sparkles with blue and white lights – while others stay true to their origin like the lighting of our menorah and latke feast at Hanukkah, and our Christmas Eve church outing and annual breakfast casserole as we open stockings on Christmas morning. I love sharing my husband’s memories and passed-down family traditions at Hanukkah, and he happily decorates (and eats!) Christmas cookies and shares memories with me as we hang ornaments on the tree (including menorah ornaments and those with shared meaning from places we have traveled together). We just welcomed a son to our family, and with this as his first “Chrismukkah season” - not a blended holiday but rather just the season when both are celebrated at our house - we couldn’t be more excited to introduce him to the fun, the food, and the spirit of each holiday. Together.
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