Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel...

I've never focused on Hanukkah in the past. This was a good excuse to make some latkes and light some candles, mostly when I didn't forget to (which was every couple of days). Probably nothing to brag about but when you don't really grow up with it, it's hard to make this a natural part of life.

Having your own children changes one's perspective a little. Even though religion has never been part of our lives, I'd like them to have some basic knowledge of the cultural aspect of our background. Plus, the holiday season is always fun. The more holidays you celebrate the better. When December came around and Christmas became the primary topic of discussion in preschool, I wanted to convey to my son that we don't celebrate Christmas at home. I explained that we celebrate the New Year, with a New Years tree (very similar to Christmas tree but after Christmas, with gift opening on New Years day), and lightly touch upon Hanukkah. My preschooler didn't disagree. He thought about it and asked if he could still celebrate Christmas in preschool. I saw no reason to say "no".

The best way to get into the holiday spirit for a child is to do various craft projects related to said holiday. My little guy gets very enthusiastic at the mention of the word "project".  This year, this chic Mama was ready. I happened to come upon a great little crafting kit at Michaels (no longer available at there unfortunately). Two crafts in one kit. A suncatcher menorah and dreidel to put on the window. The little guy was busy for two evenings for about a half an hour each evening. He was so proud of his creation, he absolutely had to show it off in preschool. Now it's proudly displayed on our window.