Celebrating Chrismukkah: When Hanukkah Meets Christmas
- Marcy Baez Lopez
- Dec 25, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 17
Merry Happy Chrismukkah! A Celebration of Merged Traditions
As the holiday season unfolds, some homes across America embrace a truly special celebration: Chrismukkah! This unique merging of Jewish and Christian traditions fills interfaith homes with laughter, warmth, and a rich tapestry of customs shared among family and friends. This year, it's particularly special when Hanukkah celebrations begin on Christmas Day itself.
Merry Happy Chrismukkah!
Chrismukkah is here! A Festive Poem
Interfaith Jewish-Christian homes in America filled with family and friends
Gather to enjoy a merging of two events
When on Christmas Day, Hanukkah is celebrated.
Smell the Manischewitz-brined turkey, fried potato latkes and sufganiyot
Sit at the festive table adorned with a gelt runner and give thanks for this joyous holiday season.
Eat challah stuffing, cranberry applesauce, and pecan pie rugelach
Indulge yourself by a fireplace with delicious holiday nog, a warm cup of apple cider or hot cocoa covered in whipped cream drizzled with candy cane.
Don’t forget to grab a plate of Christmas cookies!
Sit by a decorative, beautifully lit evergreen and open wrapped gifts given with love
Then come and play a game of dreidel,
Spinning, twisting...
Shin, put in
Hey, take half
Nun, pass along
Gimel, get all!
Sing Christmas carols and “Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah, come light the menorah.”
Eight candles will glow, the miracle of light and new life we remember
As we retell the story of the brave Maccabees and the birth of a Savior.
Give thanks for their victory, give thanks for the gift of Jesus.
Chag Sameach! (Happy Holiday!)
Author's Note: The Roots of Chrismukkah
The holiday of Chrismukkah comes to our doors this year when Christmas and Hanukkah overlap on the same day, with the first night of Hanukkah beginning at sundown. It is believed that the very first observed Chrismukkah occurred in Eastern Europe, specifically Germany, during the 19th century, a testament to the long history of interfaith families adapting and celebrating together.
Glossary of Chrismukkah Terms
To help you enjoy all the traditions, here's a quick guide to some of the terms mentioned:
Chrismukkah: The merging of the two holidays, Christmas and Hanukkah.
Hanukkah: An eight-day Jewish holiday remembering the rededication of the Second Temple.
Menorah (Hanukiah): A nine-branched candelabra used on Hanukkah.
Dreidel: A four-sided spinning top played with during Hanukkah.
Challah: Traditional Jewish braided bread.
Rugelach: Delicious Jewish rolled pastry, often filled with nuts or fruit.
Sufganiyah: A traditional Hanukkah donut, typically filled with jelly.
Latkes: Crispy potato pancakes, a Hanukkah favorite.
Gelt: Yiddish for "money," often represented by chocolate coins, given as gifts during Hanukkah.
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