I’m Jewish and I don’t celebrate Christmas so why do I always breathe a huge sigh of relief when Christmas has finally come and gone? What is the cause of my discomfort and my angst?
Maybe it stems from when I was young and my family depended on Christmas sales for our livelihood? Everyone of my cousins and I worked in the stores from Thanksgiving through the New Year hoping we would make our numbers and our fathers could stop worrying about the weather.
Or maybe it stems from when my children were young, and I was concerned about how I would keep them occupied and happy at home when everything was either very crowded or closed.
Does my anxiety arise because I am bombarded by Christmas music and decorations at every turn along with the frequent question, “What are your plans for Christmas?” and then afterwards the question, “How was your Christmas?”
Maybe it is my feeling of isolation watching others prepare for something that does not include me? Not that I want to or feel like I’m missing something. I don’t.
Maybe it’s simply an inescapable part of being a Jew in North American society. I am unique and different and will never find a comfortable place in this holiday season. Whatever the reason, I’m breathing a big sigh of relief and putting a big X on the calendar.
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