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Post by savtele on Dec 13, 2016 2:21:58 GMT -5
What’s on your mind – how to make kugel? This week’s Torah reading? Life goals? Prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.
Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:
Angelika
Holly
Lee
Louise
Lynne
Peachy
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Post by savtele on Dec 13, 2016 2:56:55 GMT -5
Boker Tov All! I just need to kvell a minute here - we had mom's party the other day & it was a huge success. In the meantime, mom called me today to let me know how very impressed some of her friends were with my grandsons (ages 19 & 15) & the one great granddaughter (age 9). They spent the entire party helping little old ladies get their seats, moved their walkers out of the way for them (and then brought them back) filled coffee/tea cups. I am one proud savta!
Back to our juxtaposition of Christmas & Hanukkah. Some time ago, someone mentioned that Christmas is this glittering, sparkling jewel set in the black of winter - and truth be told, when all the lights come down in January, it is suddenly depressing! I always feel like Hanukkah is our little tribe, lighting our candles, celebrating the victory of the few over the many & the dedication to the God of that victory. Our little tribe has survived! (It's almost an act of defiance) And then - there's Christmas - a little family to be sure, but shepherds, wise men & angels come from far & wide - everybody shows up! Lots of noise, lots of music, dancing, singing, cheer, etc. Bigger than life. (I have this "ye olde English Father Christmas" vision in my head as I write this!)
Personally, if I never have to hear Jingle Bells, Frosty the Snowman (and see the movies that go with that) I will be happy. There are radio stations that started playing Christmas music in early November! By now I am heartily sick of it, and I find myself singing "Dashing through the snow" in February snow flurries. Rugrats are cute as anything - but the Christmas movie mill seems to crank out one new movie after another, year after year (added to all the old ones, which have been remastered in living color) Last year for the 1st time in my life, I made myself sit through "It's a Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart. Once was enough.
If you live in the city, it's difficult not to get caught up. Concerts, choirs, movies & plays & late dinner parties all seem to add to the festive mood. (I got tired just reading that sentence!) Years ago I sang in a Black Gospel choir - we did Handel's Messiah Soulful Celebration - that was quite a cultural experience!
And just as we participate in the culture around us - we then bring that flavor back into our own celebrations. I still light my candles - but I have more rhythm now! (sway left on the downbeat....) We sing all the "old stand-bys" - but Maoz Zur was never quite like this when I was a little girl!
I just dug through the box of old CDs & found the Soulful Celebration. Tradition at my house!
What movies/concerts are a must at your house?
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lee058
This space for rent
Posts: 23,276 
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Post by lee058 on Dec 13, 2016 8:38:07 GMT -5
Good morning everybody. Hope you are all well today. In response to today's question, my family doesn't have any particular movies or concerts that we are into for Chanukah. As I've said, we're more into food and conversation.
Have a peaceful day, Lee
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Post by hollygail on Dec 13, 2016 12:00:21 GMT -5
Sometimes, either for Thanksgiving or for the Christmas season, DH and I watch Love, Actually (which we both enjoy). I can't think of any other music or films that we associate with this season.
Sometimes we visit with people we don't get to socialize with much during other times of the year, but no one family in particular...
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Post by peachymom1 on Dec 13, 2016 12:06:24 GMT -5
Good morning everyone!
I may be the curmudgeon in the group, because I don't pay much attention to Christmas at all, even though I live in Los Angeles and it's all around me. Christmas foods don't hold any special appeal to me, except Christmas cookies, but that's just because I love cookies anytime. I skirt all the commercialism by staying away from malls; I don't like shopping or crowds or waiting in line or searching in vain for parking spaces anyway. I either order all my holiday gifts online or get them at the grocery or drug stores (like gift cards). And Christmas carols? I've heard enough for ten lifetimes.
I have to admit I've never seen "It's a Wonderful Life" or "Miracle on 34th Street." I did see a live performance of "A Christmas Carol" about 20 years ago, because Patrick Stewart was performing. He played all the characters and did the whole thing himself, and it was outstanding. But I don't have a Christmas movie favorite, although I did see the first "Die Hard" movie for the first time a couple of years ago on Christmas day, and I loved it. Something about Bruce Willis when he still had hair...and Alan Rickman, of course.
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Post by peachymom1 on Dec 13, 2016 12:08:03 GMT -5
Angelika, that is absolutely marvelous that things went so well with the party! Mazel tov! And you have good reason to be proud of those young 'uns -- what wonderful, generous little menshes. Kol hakavod!
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Post by happysavta on Dec 13, 2016 13:44:47 GMT -5
I'm a Christmas Grinch too. I find this holiday singularly irritating. It takes over and swallows everything, from ordinary trips to WalMart to going to the airport to pick up travelers. Bah, humbug. Give it rest.
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Post by louise on Dec 13, 2016 13:55:09 GMT -5
I don't have a lot of holiday traditions I guess because I'm by myself. I think it's a sad state of affairs that black Friday, which was tough enough before, has krept into Thanksgiving Day, and even before. I saw one chain of stores advertising proudly that they would be closed all Thanksgiving Day. I drive upstate every Thanksgiving to spend it at my brother's. It used to be that we had nothing but Christmas music on all of the stations on the way back, but now it starts way before.
My SIL tells me that the stone for her brother is ready. We are going to go to the cemetery the day after Christmas to see the stone and bring a wreath. They wanted to go the Friday before but I work, so they are willing to wait - I'm off the week between Christmas and New Years.
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