Last year I posted a 3 part series A Jew Looks At Christmas which,
immodestly, I think was one of my better posts. I LOVE this time of the
year and I really believe in Santa.

There is a magic in the air and even Scrooge, once he gets away from
the mobs shopping and relaxes, gets a smile on his face. It doesn’t make
a difference whether you are a Christian, a Jew, an Atheist, the last
two weeks of the year is different from the rest of the year. Yes there
definitely is a religious aspect to the season but I am talking about
the season people have taken and made a separate part of the holiday.
Christmas trees with ‘icicles’, ribbons, bells, lights, Santa and his
helpers ringing bells, telling good kids they will get gifts knowing
even ‘bad kids’ will and adults acting like kids.

Wrapping paper, ribbons, boxes, cards, home baked cookies, running
around like crazy, lines at the post office, not knowing what to get
Grandma, declaring ‘no gifts this year’ and cards being sent on the
Internet along with the smells of the season from pine cones and those
cookies, streets having special décor, houses, apartments, gardens,
roofs, steps all decorated with lights and music coming from unseen
places are just a few of the things that bring smiles to faces.

It is a time lost loves, the homeless, the poor, kids, people are
thought of and more kindness fills every day chores. It is the one time
of the year that people living in hot climates wouldn’t mind one cold
day and people living in cold climates wouldn’t complain if there was a
slight dusting of snow.

It is a time when we start thinking of what changes we want to make in our life and we even think we will.

Following this will be a new three part series from me about how I, a
Jew, celebrate Christmas. Going back in time I want to share the most
perfect two weeks in my life, another time when I experienced what a
true family Christmas was like and how I celebrate my Christmas now.