Happy Hanukkah…Sigh.

Most of my readers know from previous posts that I normally despise decorating for holidays. One of my very first posts when I started blogging more than three years ago (that’s about two decades in Blog Years) was about how pitiful my Halloween decorations were/are. I just don’t get into it. I’m a creature of habit, and though it is Scrooge-like, I don’t like the “messiness” of scads of decorations making my already normal daily mess even messier. Get it?

Except on Hanukkah.

Hanukkah! Wow! I used to collect menorahs actively and now have about twenty-ish of them. I also have lots of dreidels, wall hangings, votive candle holders, dishes, linens…the list goes on and on. (and don’t forget Aunt Jemima, of course!)

It is quite a production to decorate for Hanukkah around here, even with all four of us participating. We store everything wrapped up carefully to prevent breakage, so the unwrapping part takes a while, and then there’s the deciding which pieces get places of honor and which just get to fill in the empty spaces. There’s a method to it, folks.

Well, Hanukkah sort of snuck up on us this year. I do enjoy when it starts and finishes ahead of Christmas, but I wasn’t ready this year. I had just realized that this was an early Hanukkah year about four weeks ago, and kicked things into gear to get my shopping done, but didn’t think about decorating, well, at all.

Then Thanksgiving weekend came, and my parents were in town for four days. Monday we were just getting back into the swing of things.

Yesterday, the younger boy sat in the kitchen eating his breakfast, when he suddenly looked at me and said, “You know Hanukkah starts tomorrow night, right?”

I replied, “Yep, I do. I guess we need to get the decorations out tonight, huh!”

He looked at me like I had just asked him to climb Mt. Everest.

“Nah*…let’s not even bother**.”

Oy vey. At least he comes by it honestly.

Happy Hanukkah to all of you who celebrate it!

*And for the record, I put out a couple of menorahs last night.
**Side note: OMG, WHAT HAVE I DONE TO MY CHILDREN???

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©2010 Suburban Scrawl

14 Comments

  • TheNextMartha

    I have to do my holiday decorating in phases. I'm still on phase 3 with 2 more to go. Sigh. But I'll leave it up through the first week on Jan.

  • Liz@thisfullhouse

    I'm like TheNextMartha, my holiday mojo comes and goes in phases — happy holidays, my friend!

  • InnerFatGirl (Taryn)

    I think it's because we've had no snow, because I have no pep for dragging the Christmas crap out either.

    Happy Hanukkah!

  • NYCPatty

    Must be how quickly things are moving this year. I can't find my Christmas decorating spirit anywhere! We still have a few days (I say days because I feel rushed by all the Christmas commercials!)

    SIGH indeed!

    Happy Hanukkah!

  • Tara R.

    I had honest intentions for decorating while my College Kid was home for Thanksgiving. It didn't happen, and I'm not feeling too good about it happening any day soon.

    Happy Hanukkah to you and yours.

  • Anonymous

    You have to get out Aunt Jemina she is tradition in our family. She has to be over 50 years old.
    She was always my favorite.

    Have a Happy Chanukah.

    Love
    Grandma W

  • Heather

    hahahha. i am exactly the OPPOSITE of you. had my christmas stuff up BEFORE thanksgiving! i couldn't wait any longer! hahahaha. you're too cute! happy hanukkah! 🙂

  • The Microblogologist

    And then there is me, I got a bunch of stuff to decorate the wreath on my door for Thanksgiving/fall and tore my somewhat small apartment up looking for them for WEEKS! Then on Thanksgiving I found them and I am reluctant to take them down given how much work went into finding them. Cheryl keeps bugging me to bring up the tree, I'm trying to get away with calling the early Christmas present my mom got me my tree: http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/merrychristmasmicrobes.html See, it is a tree (shape), and I even put her present from Mom under it, lol. Happy Hanukkah =)

  • Oscar

    Happy Hannukah! Yes, I'm reading posts backwards. Shame you didn't get to decorate. I enjoy decorating for Christmas.

    I think I've told you over 50% of my best friends are Jewish, so I send Hannukah cards along with my usual Christmas cards. Enjoy the days!