Sunday, December 25, 2011

8 Nights of Hanukkah December 20-27 - Candle #6

Celebrations

Chanukah always goes so fast, I can't believe that the kids all lit the 6th candle already on their menorahs this evening. Since they're all teens they've done this each holiday for a number of years now and really look forward to it. However, this is the first Festival of Lights holiday for little Dexter, our miniature pinscher, so up until he moved in with us, he had never seen one menorah lit, never mind a whole bunch of them all at once.  Understandably, he has been quite afraid of all the brightness that's intensified each night we light and usually goes in the other room while we kindle the candles.
Dexter decides NOT to Lick the Candles Tonight
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

A surprising thing happened tonight, though. The little guy thought he had finally overcome his fears and came right up out of the blue to one of the burning candlelabras on the table and got a little too close to the flames for comfort. Luckily, he wasn't near enough to be hurt in any way, burned, or catch fire, mind you. It's a good thing this pup was smart enough when he felt the heat to back safely away rather than to lick the flickering candles which is what he was getting ready to do when he quickly (and wisely) changed his mind.

After the excitement calmed down, I made some hot spiced apple cider for us and then we watched some videos together while the candles burned in our family room. When the last candle burned out and I was sure it was safe to leave the dog unattended, I went to the kitchen and made my mom's famous sugar cookie recipe. I made the dough as well as rolled and cut it in festive shapes, then one of my daughters and I decorated Hanukkah cookies together till we were both too tired to keep our eyes open.

In the end, it was another holiday night well spent with my family.

Hope Your Chanukah is Just as Sweet...
Decorated Hanukkah Sugar Cookies ready to eat
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

New post each night of Hanukkah!

Meanwhile, check out these other 2011 Chanukah posts

Read additional MBE posts from past years for lots of ideas to enhance your holiday: crafts, cooking, baking, activities, and gift ideas. Just enter the word Hanukkah in the search window in right hand column of this blog for lots more content.

How are you and your kids celebrating Hanukkah as a family this year? What traditions do you have from your childhood that you've passed on to your children? Please share in a comment.





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Merry Christmas Readers - The Classic Legend of Santa Claus - From the 3rd Century to Today

Celebrations

As readers know, I enjoy researching other cultures as well as sharing interesting customs with you that both involve kids and adults from a family perspective. I don't celebrate Christmas myself; nevertheless, I've covered a huge range of topics on today's holiday observance before.  Just a few weeks ago, an Arthur Christmas movie giveaway ran on MBE and then there was the post about how to easily create heirloom quality ornaments with personal photos. In past years I've also written about everything from the movie Curious George - A Very Monkey Christmas and the origins of the 12 Days of Christmas to a gift showcase of ideas for kids that enhance family living to Christmas iPhone and iPad apps for kids and moms to free and frugal DIY Christmas crafts the whole family will enjoy. This year, for something different, I decided to look into the legend of Santa Claus which is probably the number one thing that children the world over who celebrate this day associate with it.
Santa Sighting in the sky above Beverly Hills
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com


The big fat jolly guy in the red and white flocked suit, it turns out, didn't start out looking the way he does today in the eyes of children who sit on his lap to tell him what they want for Christmas. As a matter of fact this holiday symbol wasn't even known as Santa originally.

The person that historians regard as the original source of this tradition is St. Nicholas who was born in the 3rd century in a town on the southern coast of Turkey and was known throughout his life for giving gifts to the poor, children, and mariners. He even was persecuted by the Roman Empire for his religious beliefs and did time in prison during his life. 

Then in 1822, many centuries after the original St. Nick had died on the other half of the globe, Clement Clarke Moore, a New York native, wrote the poem An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas for his three daughters. This came to be known as the popular classic story 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. With the continued rise of commercialism and advertising of the holiday in the mid 1800s, especially in the U.S., the popular image of Santa Claus as he is portrayed in modern times emerged. Today that old-fashioned depictions seems to have changed little over the past 75 years.
Santa, Sleigh & 8 Reindeer Seem Oblivious to L.A. Traffic
At the busiest intersection in Beverly Hills
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com


If you celebrate Christmas what are some of the traditions you have that are rooted in your own childhood? What new customs have you created for your own children to enjoy?



Merry Christmas to those celebrating today





FTC Disclosure: This blog did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog,including this one.
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Saturday, December 24, 2011

8 Nights of Hanukkah December 20-27 - Candle #5

Celebrations

It's the fifth night of Chanukah. Just got back from taking the dog for a walk and enjoyed walking through a Jewish Winter Wonderland Southern California style. No we didn't get snow and I seriously doubt it has ever snowed where we live, not even flurries, since on a clear day you can practically smell the ocean air down at the beach not too far away. What I did revel in was on my block the windows were aglow this evening with menorahs each with 5 candles lit to, "Remind us of days long ago," as the Hanukkah song says.

Our menorah now has 5 lights & 1 helper candle
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

As I walked, I saw over a dozen individual menorah window displays including a few family homes with one menorah and some with many menorahs, one for each child in the household. There's even a neighbor having a child's Hanukkah party for about 15 tonight and each kid is lighting their own menorah. That means that after the little ones each have their 5 candles lighted, it's going to be burning brightly over the whole neighborhood.

Happy Chanukah wherever you are


New post each night of Hanukkah!

Meanwhile, check out these other 2011 Chanukah posts

Read additional MBE posts from past years for lots of ideas to enhance your holiday: crafts, cooking, baking, activities, and gift ideas. Just enter the word Hanukkah in the search window in right hand column of this blog for lots more content.

Do you think Hanukkah is for kids or adults or both? Relate your answer and tell what you are doing tonight to celebrate?







FTC Disclosure: This blog did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog,including this one.
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