Despite growing up Jewish, my family celebrated Christmas (solely for the dressing up/decorating/gift giving/eating) reasons. I found that many other Jews my age did the same thing with their families. I grew up in the South, so it was literally unavoidable.
We saw Santa, got our stockings stuffed with 80’s mags and marshmallow snowmen and opened presents. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, we headed to our neighbors, the McQuails, for Christmas dinner, which included meat, sweet potatoes and regular potatoes, strawberry jello, green bean casserole, buttered rolls and crab dip. How lucky my family was that we had an extended family next door who included us in their Christmas meal!
At least once during the holiday season (or twice, if we were lucky), we got to make and decorate my mom’s buttery spritz cookies. I personally delighted (and still do) in eating several cookies’ worth of dough while squeezing the cookies out of the cookie gun.
Probably more for my own gratification than an actual tradition, I listen to 80’s Christmas songs and occasionally indulge in watching poorly made videos with great 80’s costumes.
Here are some faves:
Last Christmas, by Wham!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI
Do They Know It’s Christmas by Band Aid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc8TYsYb5i0
Fairytale of New York by The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8
Other 80’s Christmas Faves
Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses
Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You- Billy Squire
2000 Miles- The Pretenders
Christmas, Christmas – The Chipmunks
Please Come Home for Christmas- Pat Benatar
But, seriously, I really was raised Jewish!!
