Jews with Christmas/Holiday trees

[Anonymous]

Are there a lot of us?

DD really wants a Christmas tree. She is only three and I don’t see any point in denying her this big cut tree for a couple of weeks. My MIL is going to blow a gasket.

Plus I have never had one and kind of want one too!

[Anonymous]

My 3 yr old wanted a pony. I’ve alwsys wanted one too.

[Anonymous]

Oh man, OP, welcome to my life.

So my kid is only 2 and has no clue about any of these things, but I'm half Jewish/half Catholic and always celebrated Christmas and Hanukkah. DH has the same background, but celebrated Christmas only with the Catholic side of his family (no Christmas tree at his house). We fully plan to celebrate both holidays in our house--although DD will go to Hebrew school and have a Bat Mitzvah--because for us it's more about family history/culture than religion.

Anyway -- MIL talks a good line about acceptance, but had a fit when we first set up a Christmas tree after we moved in together. She's going to secretly fume about DD celebrating Christmas but we don't really care!

So long story short -- do what you want! I always figured that Jews celebrating Christmas seemed fine. Easter might be a little harder to justify, but Christmas doesn't seem that weird to me.

[Anonymous]

Not sure if this counts in your survey, but DH is Jewish, I'm not (raised evangelical, now atheist), and we're raising DC Jewish.

We put up a tree because I think it's pretty. And because I like to celebrate the secular parts of the holidays now that I'm no longer a Christian (don't @ me--I'm putting the pagan back in the Tannenbaum).

[Anonymous]

I think there are a lot of you. I'm jewish and I'm not going to celebrate christmas. Period, full stop. Seems sacrilegious to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if this counts in your survey, but DH is Jewish, I'm not (raised evangelical, now atheist), and we're raising DC Jewish.

We put up a tree because I think it's pretty. And because I like to celebrate the secular parts of the holidays now that I'm no longer a Christian (don't @ me--I'm putting the pagan back in the Tannenbaum).

Good point! Putting up a nativity scene is a little weird in a Jewish home, but Santa Claus and the Christmas tree have pagan roots! Christians can't claim a monopoly on those things

[Anonymous]

Welcome to dcum. You must be new here.

[Anonymous]

It is not a holiday tree. No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is not a holiday tree. No.

THIS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if this counts in your survey, but DH is Jewish, I'm not (raised evangelical, now atheist), and we're raising DC Jewish.

We put up a tree because I think it's pretty. And because I like to celebrate the secular parts of the holidays now that I'm no longer a Christian (don't @ me--I'm putting the pagan back in the Tannenbaum).

Good point! Putting up a nativity scene is a little weird in a Jewish home, but Santa Claus and the Christmas tree have pagan roots! Christians can't claim a monopoly on those things

I'm the PP, and I would NEVER put up a nativity! *shudder* No Jesus anywhere. All our ornaments are cute animals or sports teams.

We don't do Santa because it's less work that way, lol. But DC is oddly obsessed with Rudolph.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not a holiday tree. No.

THIS

Actually, it's a pagan tradition that started with the Vikings and Saxon, and was subsequently adopted by Christians. So maybe we should call it the Viking-Saxon tree?

[Anonymous]

I'm Jewish. My husband isn't. Our son will be raised Jewish. We belong to a synagogue. Our compromise has been to have a tree decorated with Star of David garland, a Star of David tree topper and lots of menorah and star ornaments along with more traditional ones. I also throw a Chrismukka party every year.

We have fun and I don't particularly care what anyone else thinks. I invite all my friends Jews and non-Jews alike. Everyone comes to participate and if someone is offended, they don't mention it to me.

For the record, I actually think the tree is a giant PITA but my husband loves it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm Jewish. My husband isn't. Our son will be raised Jewish. We belong to a synagogue. Our compromise has been to have a tree decorated with Star of David garland, a Star of David tree topper and lots of menorah and star ornaments along with more traditional ones. I also throw a Chrismukka party every year.

We have fun and I don't particularly care what anyone else thinks. I invite all my friends Jews and non-Jews alike. Everyone comes to participate and if someone is offended, they don't mention it to me.

For the record, I actually think the tree is a giant PITA but my husband loves it.

I used to think the tree was PITA until we got a fake one with pre-installed lights. Call us cheap, but the thing takes 2 seconds to put up (plus the time to put ornaments on). Also, our dumb dog would absolutely pee on a real one ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm Jewish. My husband isn't. Our son will be raised Jewish. We belong to a synagogue. Our compromise has been to have a tree decorated with Star of David garland, a Star of David tree topper and lots of menorah and star ornaments along with more traditional ones. I also throw a Chrismukka party every year.

We have fun and I don't particularly care what anyone else thinks. I invite all my friends Jews and non-Jews alike. Everyone comes to participate and if someone is offended, they don't mention it to me.

For the record, I actually think the tree is a giant PITA but my husband loves it.

You are a mixed couple. Different.

[Anonymous]

I know quite a few 1/2 Jewish couples. In almost ALL of them, they have gleefully put up a tree every year.