Chrismukkah? Feh! Humbug!

As amusing as I find the concept of “Chrismukkah”, I find it somewhat dangerous as well. It’s not the blending of two completely antithetical holidays that bothers me so much (Chanukah celebrates the victory of the Jews over religious persecution and assimilation, Christmas celebrates the perceived fulfillment of Judaism by the arrival of the prophesied Christian messiah). It's just that I fear that too few people will see the inherent irony of Chrismukkah and assume that haphazard blending of cultures can actually replace cultural sensitivity and representation. For too long, many have tried to justify government-sponsored religion under the argument that Christmas is a secular holiday (despite all the people who actually do celebrate the birth of Christ) and should in fact be equated with secular holidays such as Independence Day or Super Sunday (although many celebrate this holiday religiously).

Chanukah is, of course, one of the more minor holidays, so might I propose a list of other holidays with temporal proximity that can be blended:

Rosh Hashamadan (Rosh Hashanah and Ramadan): We celebrate the Jewish New Year, the Torah, and the revelation of the Quran all at once. For 40 days, from sun up to sundown, we blow the shofar and eat apples and honey.

Eastover (Pesach and Easter): We commemorate the Pesach seders. On the first night, we commemorate the very first seder that led to the giving of the Torah (the cornerstone of Judaism). On the second night, we commemorate the death, rebirth, and ascension of Jesus (the cornerstone of Christianity). After that, we search for soggy matzah on the front lawn and eat pesadic chocolate bunnies.

Purdi Gras (Purim and Marti Gras): We celebrate Esther’s bravery in ancient Persia on the last day before Lent. We dress in costume, drink heavily, and party like there’s no tomorrow. OK, so maybe this one actually works.

My point is simply that while the blending of traditions can be a good thing, the blending should not replace the original holiday, religion, or traditions. Celebrate Chanukah, or don’t. Celebrate Christmas, or don’t. Celebrate both if you like. But please don't believe that you can maintain a foot in your own heritage by replacing it with a blended version of another one.

Just some thoughts for 2007.