Saturday, December 13, 2008

Common Household Irony

This week was full of "December Dilemma" irony.

On Monday I was scheduled to talk to the kids at the elementary school about Hanukkah for our school's "Diversity Day." I don't like to do it by myself, not being Jewish 'n' all but my daughter indicated she would be crushed if I didn't come. I had another Mom lined up to help me, but she had to cancel at the last minute. So it was up to me! It went well, and I found that I was enjoying myself. Until a teacher's aide came in, who, it seems, was Jewish. She pointed out right away that one of the menorahs I had brought was not a "kosher" menorah, because the eight candles were not all the same height. Oy vey! When the 4th and 5th grade kids came along, I asked what Jewish holidays they had heard of besides Hanukkah. Only in one class did someone volunteer a correct answer. They all know what a dreidel is, anyway.

On Wednesday I picked up the invitation books so we can pick the invitations for my son's bar mitzvah. On Friday I went shopping for Christmas and Hanukkah gifts.

Today we bought a live Christmas tree! Once we picked the tree we wanted, the lot attendant asked us, "Would you like it clean-cut?" Uh, what's that mean? We just said "We don't usually get a live tree. Can you explain it to us?" The lot attendant got a nice tip.

My daughter decided to make cookies today. I need to take cookies to church tomorrow for the reception after the children's Christmas program. I thought, I'll just take some of the cookies that my daughter makes. She made sugar cookies in the shape of dreidels, menorahs, six-pointed stars, torahs, whales, and bones (?!). And to think that last year I was fretting over whether anyone at our synagogue would be insulted if I brought cookies in those shapes to a synagogue event. i hope nobody at church minds my Hanukkah-themed cookies. They taste great!

1 comment:

Maria Sondule said...

What a coincidence, our sunday school topic was December Dilemma. I didn't participate, because for me there is not dilemma whatsoever.
Good job with the classes though. It's kinda hard to keep them focused.
And I agree about those cookies... mmmmm.