’Twas the night before Christmas and inside the Warrens’ home, the latkes were sizzling, the dreidels did roam.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, while the aroma of brisket hung in the air.
Needless to say, the Warrens — Chris and Jane, and their two grown children, Jessica and William, strayed from the traditional Christmas Eve dinner and festivities this year to sample — you guessed it — Chanukah.
I was so excited when Jessica (one of my closest friends since we were tweens) told me that her family (which practices Christianity) would celebrate Christmas Eve in the presence of a glowing menorah, in addition to their festively lit Christmas tree.
So, in the weeks prior to Dec. 24, Jane and Jessica got to work creating the perfect Chanukah experience.
Jane scoured the “Chanukah” section of the Food Network’s Web site for recipes, and also sought advice from me about what appetizers and desserts should be served. Anything dunked in oil, I advised.
Though she passed on my sufganiot suggestion, Jane’s menu boasted an 8-pound brisket; potato “latkes” and applesauce (OK, they were hash browns, since Jessica discovered she’s allergic to potato pancake mix after eating a few from a test batch); cheese and hummus; and mini bagels spread with cream cheese.
For dessert, Jane went with a “kosher” wine cake with peppermint ice cream, her husband’s favorite.
Once the meal was set, Jessica embarked on a scavenger hunt for all decorations blue, white and silver. She bounced from craft store to craft store in search of candles, napkins and other accessories in colors other than red and green. A not-so-easy task, Jessica told me.
Her search reminded me of a story my mother always likes to tell about the time she went looking for Chanukah decorations when we first moved to Laguna Niguel some 25 years ago. A store employee stared blankly at her and asked, “What’s a Chanukah?”
But back to the Warrens’ Christmas Eve. The meal’s theme was kept under wraps until the guests’ arrival — though some inquisitive relatives tried to pry it out of them, unsuccessfully of course.
After weeks of speculation, the theme was unveiled. The Chanukah-inspired meal was quite different from last year’s — a traditional English Christmas, complete with a roast goose, Brussels sprouts and plum pudding.
“We all got so into it,” Jessica said of celebrating Chanukah. “With so many Christmas parties and activities this time of year, it was nice to celebrate something new.”
During dinner, the group took turns reading from a booklet Jane put together using information from JewFAQ.com, an online encyclopedia also known as Judaism101. They learned the history of Chanukah, its traditions and symbols.
“Everybody has more intellectual curiosity now that our group is older,” said Jane, noting that the youngest person at the table was 17. “For me, it’s about raising awareness. We see menorahs or dreidels, and it’s fun to know their significance.”
The Warrens incorporated a menorah (each of the nine family members took turns with the shamash), and dreidels (an intense game for chocolate gelt ensued following dinner) into their evening.
Jane purchased three dreidels for the occasion, including one that played “I Have a Little Dreidel” when it twirled. For most, it was the first time ever taking the dreidel for a spin.
In the days following Christmas Eve, the Warrens experienced another aspect of a traditional Jewish meal: the leftovers. I doubt Santa’s sugar cookies were replaced with brisket sandwiches, but with the Warren family, you just never know.
Amanda Pazornik is a writer at j. She can be reached at [email protected].