I grew up in a very secular Jewish household. We were definitely Jewish from a cultural and historical point-of-view. My parents grew up with some amount of religious observance. My dad is Israeli and his parents tragically lost many family members during the Holocaust. Much of my family’s identity was wrapped up in Judaism, and our sense of humor definitely had Jewish roots.
But when it came to religious observance, there was none of that when I was a kid
Christmas is also simple but meaningful
We decorate a tree every year, and we enjoy taking out our bag of ornaments that we’ve acquired over the years and reminiscing about each ornament’s history. My kids don’t believe in Santa (maybe that’s where the Jewish parts comes in!), but we set out treats for him on Christmas Eve. And we wake up early to open presents on Christmas morning, of course.
Celebrating Christmas doesn’t make my kids feel any less Jewish. Just like my parents raised us, we are mostly culturally Jewish. We don’t attend temple, and my sons don’t intend to get Bar Mitzvahs. But they know the history behind the holidays we celebrate, and they have very strong Jewish identities and a rich understanding of Jewish culture and history.
They don’t think it’s weird to be Jews who celebrate Christmas
There are actually lots of us, and some might argue that in many ways, Christmas isn’t really even a religious holiday anymore, but more of a cultural one. To our family, Christmas is about finding light in darkness, coming together as a family, and celebrating the joy of the season. We often donate canned goods and used clothes during Christmas, because I want to teach my children that Christmas isn’t just about receiving but also about giving.
Sometimes, when I tell people that we celebrate Christmas, they think it’s a little strange. And sometimes I myself feel out of place. To be honest, I sometimes feel out of place celebrating Jewish holidays, because, like my parents, I’m basically an atheist. But I also know that holiday traditions are what you make of them, and that there is something in them for everyone who wants to partake.
