Reply to Interfaith families raising Jewish kids -- talk to me about the December dilemma

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We are not interfaith, but perhaps our experience can be helpful.

I found the less we made of Santa, the better. Unless he is in a preschool where the teachers are actually discussing Santa, the conversations amongst the kids are going to be at a very superficial level. IF is the only kid at the family Christmas celebration, perhaps you can ask if Santa be left out entirely. For my daughter, if she brought up Santa, we would answer any questions (people who celebrate Christmas pretend that he brings the gifts, etc...) I don't put a huge emphasis on the pretend, and I've found that by not making it a huge deal, she doesn't have a big need to "share" her knowledge with other kids.

The most important thing, IMO, is making Judiasm a big part of your life. Christmas is huge, whether you try to find it or not! And it's fun, with lights and trees, and music, and presents. It's great that your kid can enjoy that with his dad's family. But, it takes effort to make Judiasm as big a presence. By celebrating Shabbat, lighting Hanuakah candles, celebrating all the holidays (there's one almost every month), attending synagouge, you can instill Jewish identity without having to worry so much about confusion.

Personally, I think its much better to instill a positive Jewish identiy, the to worry too much about reacting to the culture influsive of Christian identity. [/quote]

+1. We are a Jewish family, but my family is not Jewish (I converted).  We have an active Jewish life the other 11 months of the year (shabbat at home and tot shabbat, high holidays, Passover, Sukkot, etc). So I am not worried that my 4 year old will become "confused" about Santa or Christmas, nor do I feel threatened by it.  He knows he is Jewish and Jewish people don't celebrate Christmas.  However, if we get together with my family in December and there is a tree and an exchange of presents, I am not overly worried if someone gives him a "Christmas" present.  It is not going to make him question whether he is Jewish or not.  It's just an opportunity for him to see how other families celebrate another holiday.

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