Jews with Christmas/Holiday trees

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of all you Jewish folks getting Christmas trees, did ANY of you build and decorate sukkahs this year? You know that you can do that right? A sukkah can have pine branches, can be decorated not just with gourds but with electric lights, hanging things, even strung popcorn if you are brave.

Are you going to celebrate Tu B'shvat?

That you probably did not think of doing that, is the real problem with Christmas trees.

Lol....we have our sukkah decorations. We keep them in a special box in the closet. Once a year we haul out the sukkah and the decorations. Then after the holiday we argue about when to take it down. I have a sukkah. I have a separate pesach kitchen. For Tu B'svat we have a sedar and for Shavous we have ice cream. I don't have a Christmas tree but I do have a menorah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of all you Jewish folks getting Christmas trees, did ANY of you build and decorate sukkahs this year? You know that you can do that right? A sukkah can have pine branches, can be decorated not just with gourds but with electric lights, hanging things, even strung popcorn if you are brave.

Are you going to celebrate Tu B'shvat?

That you probably did not think of doing that, is the real problem with Christmas trees.

PP, you seem to have a very narrow view - perhaps what is right for you is not right for other Jews.

[Anonymous]

It's really pretty hilarious to see Christians, who's religion appropriated the Christmas Tree, Santa Claus (and, really, Christmas), the Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs, and a crapload of other traditions that have not one thing to do with Christianity whining when others also take part in these jolly, decidedly non-religious traditions. Lighten up, people. Share the joy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's really pretty hilarious to see Christians, who's religion appropriated the Christmas Tree, Santa Claus (and, really, Christmas), the Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs, and a crapload of other traditions that have not one thing to do with Christianity whining when others also take part in these jolly, decidedly non-religious traditions. Lighten up, people. Share the joy.

It is the sanctimonious Jews on here and not Christians who are taking offense to Jews having a Christmas tree. They come out of the woodwork on DCUM around this time of year to remind everyone on how a good Jew is suppose to behave and conduct themselves. They want to remind every Jew about the errors of assimilation. They go insane when other Jews embrace non Jewish traditions. As it gets closer to Christmas you will see many hostile posts from Jews condemning other Jews about celebrating anything that has to do with Christmas.

Trust and believe most Christians except for the bible thumping fundamentalist types truly do not care about Jews who like Christmas trees. It is the ostracizing from other Jews that is more damaging than placing a tree in one's home. I have never met a Christian who had issues with this at all. The only folks who whine about Jews with Christmas trees are other Jews.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of all you Jewish folks getting Christmas trees, did ANY of you build and decorate sukkahs this year? You know that you can do that right? A sukkah can have pine branches, can be decorated not just with gourds but with electric lights, hanging things, even strung popcorn if you are brave.

Are you going to celebrate Tu B'shvat?

That you probably did not think of doing that, is the real problem with Christmas trees.

Lol....we have our sukkah decorations. We keep them in a special box in the closet. Once a year we haul out the sukkah and the decorations. Then after the holiday we argue about when to take it down. I have a sukkah. I have a separate pesach kitchen. For Tu B'svat we have a sedar and for Shavous we have ice cream. I don't have a Christmas tree but I do have a menorah.

I think PP was taking issue with Jews who DO have a Christmas tree, and yet don't mark various holidays.

[Anonymous]

As a conservadox parent who has taught Hebrew school in reform, secular humanist, and conservative synagogues, I believe it is confusing and assimilation-provoking to have a Christmas tree, put up Christmas decorations, listen to Christmas music, etc. - based on my experience in the classroom.

I have no problem taking kids on a tour around the neighborhood to look at the lights of others or letting them attend Christmas parties of classmates or friends. We also do not "blow up" Hanukkah (a relatively minor holiday on the Jewish calendar) to match Christmas. The approach is Christmas is a lovely holiday that does not belong to us. We can be spectators but not participants. We have our own lovely holidays which we celebrate Israeli-style, with the requisite Chinese and a movie in the diaspora tradition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of all you Jewish folks getting Christmas trees, did ANY of you build and decorate sukkahs this year? You know that you can do that right? A sukkah can have pine branches, can be decorated not just with gourds but with electric lights, hanging things, even strung popcorn if you are brave.

Are you going to celebrate Tu B'shvat?

That you probably did not think of doing that, is the real problem with Christmas trees.

PP, you seem to have a very narrow view - perhaps what is right for you is not right for other Jews.

Perhaps, I mean some Jews WANT to assimilate, for example. That is their legal right, of course. Maybe its best for them.

All I am asking is if the people who want Christmas treets have actually considered fully celebrating all the Jewish holidays (not just Hanukkah). My sense is that Christmas craving is less among families and children who get to experience the many celebratory Jewish holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's really pretty hilarious to see Christians, who's religion appropriated the Christmas Tree, Santa Claus (and, really, Christmas), the Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs, and a crapload of other traditions that have not one thing to do with Christianity whining when others also take part in these jolly, decidedly non-religious traditions. Lighten up, people. Share the joy.

Christians don't care.

[Anonymous]

Jews having Christmas trees is a mechanism for dealing with embarrassment and self hatred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jews having Christmas trees is a mechanism for dealing with embarrassment and self hatred.

Nah, I've been through that stage, and went through it without a Christmas tree. Now that is behind me - and I have a Christmas tree because my wife (a former Christian) wants one, and because my kids (who are now older, both done with their Bar Mitzvah, and both very committed to their Jewish identity and culture) enjoyed it as kids and still do as teens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jews having Christmas trees is a mechanism for dealing with embarrassment and self hatred.

Nachon meod.

[Anonymous]

I am Jewish and grew up in what was then the atheist USSR. Everyone put up a tree for New Year's and celebration of all religious holidays, whether Jewish or Christian or whatever, including Christmas, was discouraged.

I still associate decorating a tree with celebrating the new year. After we had kids with my Asian non-Christian husband, we started putting up a tree, festively decorated but not in red/green/white Christmas colors. We also light the menorah.

To those who feel weird that I'm coopting a Christian holiday, (a) the holiday is imposed on me, and this is the best way for me to deal with hit, rather than declaring war on Christmas, having it be removed from the list of federal holidays because I'm not supposed to celebrate it, and so on, and (b) because this has become our family tradition during the 70-some years in which the USSR existed.

To all the Jews with holiday trees, enjoy your version of this tradition, and don't worry about the naysayers. Having pine in the house makes the whole place smell wonderful and lights up the darkest days of the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am Jewish and grew up in what was then the atheist USSR. Everyone put up a tree for New Year's and celebration of all religious holidays, whether Jewish or Christian or whatever, including Christmas, was discouraged.

I still associate decorating a tree with celebrating the new year. After we had kids with my Asian non-Christian husband, we started putting up a tree, festively decorated but not in red/green/white Christmas colors. We also light the menorah.

To those who feel weird that I'm coopting a Christian holiday, (a) the holiday is imposed on me, and this is the best way for me to deal with hit, rather than declaring war on Christmas, having it be removed from the list of federal holidays because I'm not supposed to celebrate it, and so on, and (b) because this has become our family tradition during the 70-some years in which the USSR existed.

To all the Jews with holiday trees, enjoy your version of this tradition, and don't worry about the naysayers. Having pine in the house makes the whole place smell wonderful and lights up the darkest days of the year.

My Eastern European jewish friends celebrate with a tree and Father Frost on New Years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am Jewish and grew up in what was then the atheist USSR. Everyone put up a tree for New Year's and celebration of all religious holidays, whether Jewish or Christian or whatever, including Christmas, was discouraged.

I still associate decorating a tree with celebrating the new year. After we had kids with my Asian non-Christian husband, we started putting up a tree, festively decorated but not in red/green/white Christmas colors. We also light the menorah.

To those who feel weird that I'm coopting a Christian holiday, (a) the holiday is imposed on me, and this is the best way for me to deal with hit, rather than declaring war on Christmas, having it be removed from the list of federal holidays because I'm not supposed to celebrate it, and so on, and (b) because this has become our family tradition during the 70-some years in which the USSR existed.

To all the Jews with holiday trees, enjoy your version of this tradition, and don't worry about the naysayers. Having pine in the house makes the whole place smell wonderful and lights up the darkest days of the year.

If I want the aroma of pine in my house, I just buy a nice West Coast India Pale Ale Alternatively you could put pine branches around. And doesn't the smell of pine work in other seasons?

Its also great to have good lighting. Don't need a tree for that.

I appreciate that because of the actions of the Communist Party of the USSR you associate a tree with New Years, not Christmas. I mean I can imagine a world where the dictator of some othe country banned Christmas AND New Years, but allowed trees on the vernal equinox, and Jews who came to the USA from that country would think of them as religiously neutral vernal equinox trees. Doesn't change that in the USA they are Christmas trees, and non assimilated American Jews as a general rule do NOT keep them. But that you intermarried may be a sign that you did not join the community of non assimilated American Jews. Again, that may be the best for you. I am not nay saying, but inviting people to TRY a Jewish lifestyle - one filled with OUR holidays (as well as those American holidays we have embraced, like Thanksgiving) I think most people who celebrate all those holidays do not find a pressing need for another in between Hanukkah and Tu B'shvat.

[Anonymous]

We are Jewish. DD goes to a Jewish preschool. We are getting a Christmas tree this year because DD wants one.

I don’t care what anyone thinks. Honestly.