How to explain Christmas to your Jewish kid
A couple of weeks ago, my three-year-old son noticed that our neighbours had put up their Christmas lights. His eyes widened as he gazed in awe at the many colourful bulbs lighting up the cold, dark night. ?We have to put our lights up!? he proclaimed. I replied with something along the lines of ?Yeah, uh, let?s go inside for dinner,? realizing that I was ill prepared for the conversation where I explain to my child that we are Jewish and don?t celebrate Christmas. After scouring the internet for articles and talking to other parents who are in the same boat, I came up with a list of tips for how to deal with Christmas when you don?t do Christmas.
1. Let books do the work for you
Books are always a helpful way to introduce tricky concepts to kids, and I soon learned that the dilemma I was facing could be addressed by heading to my local library. Dear Santa, Love, Rachel Rosenstein was written by actress Amanda Peet, based on her experience with her own children. The book celebrates embracing other cultures and their traditions while encouraging kids to be proud of their own religious identities. 2. Keep it simple
When dealing with little kids who have big questions, a straightforward answer is often the best one. Instead of delving into an hour-long history lesson on the birth of Jesus and rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, try saying something like ?People celebrate different holidays: Some people celebrate Christmas, but our family celebrates Hanukkah.? Easy-peasy.
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