Twas the night before...

....Christmas.

So, I guess I need to explain. You see, I am Jewish. Very proud to be Jewish and wouldn't change it for the world. I don't believe (memory loss is kicking in) I have ever dated anyone that was Jewish, not for any reason I can think of, just the road that life took me.

So...why is it I spend so much time talking about Christmas. Because I love it. Oh, yeah, and my wife is also Catholic.

Back to Christmas. So, as a kid, since I went to Greenfield elementary school and there were not a lot of Jewish people there, my parents would always make sure we would do something cool on Christmas eve so we would not feel left out. (usually Chinese food and games and stuff). Christmas day was always very boring because NOTHING was open.

But leading up to Christmas, I loved. I loved the TV shows. I loved the music. I loved the happiness. The joyfullness and everything in between. But....to this very day, I really enjoy Christmas eve day and Christmas eve much more then I do Christmas day.

My first Christmas experience came in high school when a friend of mine (Kara) invited me to spend Christmas eve with her family. We had a big dinner, we decorated the Christmas tree and then went to Midnight mass. (what a trip that was, but that is another blog for another day)

But as I got older and moved out of my parents house, my Christmas experience developed with my ex girlfriends. I always thought, what a great idea. If I were Christian, I would definately date a Jewish guy. There would never be a fight as to "whose side of the family we would go to"? Etc.

Gifts, and Bubba Claus. That's right, for several years I would dress up Christmas eve as Santa Claus. I would ring my bells, come down the stairs of my ex girlfriends grand parents house and have all the cousins, and nieces and nephews sit on my lap and tell me what they wanted for Christmas. My biggest fear was that they would ask me the names of the Reindeer. I still don't know them. Let me try. Bashful, Sneezy, Grumpy, Rudolph....oh never mind.

Then I met my wife. Her family is Catholic and Italian, and I for the first time found out about the 7 fishes (why is it not 7 fish? Isn't fish plural?) But, I digress. It was awesome. Loud, food, fun, beer, wine....everything that a holiday should be. Just complete chaos....with everyone together, and happy and joyous, and having fun. But that was Christmas Eve. Christmas day was much more reserved. My brother in laws and I may have been nursing wine hangovers, and that could have been a part of it....but it was still nice.

Any time family can come together for a joyous time, is a great day for me.

You see, I may be Jewish, but I do love Christmas. Maybe not for the same reasons as someone of the Christian, faith, but for reasons that are important for me. Family!

So....don't worry about offending anyone by saying Merry Christmas. Stop the Happy Holiday's crap. If you know someone is Jewish wish them a Happy Chanukah. If not....take a shot. Wish someone a Merry Christmas.....if they are offended....that is there problem....not yours!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!