Deborah's Journal

I can't decide if I enjoy the season more when Christmas comes in the middle of Chanukah, thereby generating terminal overload, or when, as in this year, the holidays come in waves, as it were, each separated by a trough of exhaustion.

Such an interesting year we're having. Chanukah was early and began with much festivity. rosehelen and flyingamazon joined us for the first night, which was also Shabbat. So we had candle lighting and blessings and a festive dinner ... and then proceeded to more candle lighting, more blessings, and the family traditional read-aloud of Eric Kimmel's Herschel and the Hanukkah Goblins with obligatory funny voices.

Night #2 was also the monthly potluck of the older folks at our local Quaker meeting. December's gathering is also a white elephant exchange and takes place at a remodeled hotel that is now apartments, mostly elderly folk and mostly Quakers. We had silence and dinner and much good chat and entirely too much chocolate. With the permission of the host and to everyone's delight, I set up my menorah on the little table by the tree (but not too close), lit more candles, said more blessings.

The deal with the white-elephant exchange is that you draw numbers for the order of selecting presents, one person goes at a time and usually passes around what they got. When it's your turn, you can either choose a wrapped gift or claim one that's already been unwrapped. This takes some time, with much hilarity. Even among Quakers.

The third night, I just stared at the menorah. It's a family joke that I never make all 8 nights. Not quite true, but this year I was just holidayed out. We'll be just the two of us on the 25th and it's just as well. I may have recovered by the time manawolf andotana join us next week.