A COZY, CUDDULY CHRISTMUKKAH

[bigletter]Thank you again to Seth Cohen of the OC for bringing my holiday traditions into the cultural zeitgeist with one simple word: Christmukkah. As a little kiddo I felt like I had the best of both worlds, despite other people’s sheer confusion and personal issues with the concept of bringing both traditions together. Still to this day I can see the shock on peoples faces when I tell them I celebrate Christmukkah. But is it not representative of what our country is meant to be, a culmination of cultures and customs open to everyone? As one of my college professors said, we are more like a salad bar. We live amongst one another, but tend to stay out in our assigned spots. That is unless a Jewish woman from New York falls for a Puerto Rican from Chicago and the rest is history.[/bigletter]

I’d admit that growing up I didn’t feel I fit into either “lane” of my heritage and it wasn’t always easy. Rather than feeling proud of being both I initially felt more like other. Especially given the fact that my parents divorced when I was young and I was predominantly raised by my mother, distancing me more and more from my Puerto Rican roots. But even while in the company of my father’s warm and vibrant family, I didn’t speak the language, fully embrace the food or have a close relationship with my Dad. But we did celebrate Christmas, as it was perhaps the one thing he and I both understood. He was a Christian and I, an admirer of mainstream American Christmas culture.

This was always a wonderful time of the year during my childhood. Decorating the house and tree, lighting the menorah, baking cookies on Christmas morning in my pajamas and shopping for gifts made great memories I will forever cherish. Despite the complexity of navigating my cultural-racial identity throughout my life this was always the easy answer to what do you celebrate? Celebrate? I celebrate it all. Duh!

Are you surprised?

My understanding of these big holidays has always been the same, make it about family and friends, gratitude and joy, love and celebration, and you are doing it just right. This time of year isn’t always magical for us all, so criticizing how we practice what traditions old or new isn’t worth our time. But finding a way to bridge the gap, make the connection, join one another in the common goal of merriment is.

Essentially the spirit of Christmukkah.