This morning, I woke up, got dressed, and ran over to the local God Shoppe for morning Minyan. Driving home, I could not help but notice the quiet, the complete absence of normal traffic. Parking lots at all the local shopping venues were vacant, in sharp contrast to every day of the past several weeks. Or every other day of the year, for that matter.
It’s Christmas, the one day of the year that’s not “business as usual” among the world of Gentiles.
[This is a special day on the Jewish calendar. We refer to it as Yom Sh’lishi (“Third Day”) in Hebrew, or Dienshtik (“Tuesday”) in Yiddish. It’s special because only one out of every seven days meets the necessary criteria to be called Yom Sh’lishi.]
The Missus and I will celebrate the day in the traditional Jewish manner: by going to the movies. It used to be nice going to the movies on Christmas, because nobody would be there but the Jews...and maybe the odd Buddhist or Hindu. Alas, many of our Christian neighbors have now adopted this practice as well, preferring it to a long, drawn-out family dinner. So it’s not as solitary as it used to be.
Another Christmas tradition - with us Hebes, anyway - is dining at the Chinese restaurant. No doubt, this tradition started when the Chinese joint was the only place open for business on Christmas besides the movie theatre. But for us, this year, there will be no Chinese food: Instead, there will be prodigious helpings of leftovers at Houston Steve’s.
To our Christian friends, a most Merry Christmas. May the day bring you peace, health, and all good things to you and to those you love.
Update: No Chinese food for supper, anyway. But then again, there’s lunch...
It’s Christmas, the one day of the year that’s not “business as usual” among the world of Gentiles.
[This is a special day on the Jewish calendar. We refer to it as Yom Sh’lishi (“Third Day”) in Hebrew, or Dienshtik (“Tuesday”) in Yiddish. It’s special because only one out of every seven days meets the necessary criteria to be called Yom Sh’lishi.]
The Missus and I will celebrate the day in the traditional Jewish manner: by going to the movies. It used to be nice going to the movies on Christmas, because nobody would be there but the Jews...and maybe the odd Buddhist or Hindu. Alas, many of our Christian neighbors have now adopted this practice as well, preferring it to a long, drawn-out family dinner. So it’s not as solitary as it used to be.
Another Christmas tradition - with us Hebes, anyway - is dining at the Chinese restaurant. No doubt, this tradition started when the Chinese joint was the only place open for business on Christmas besides the movie theatre. But for us, this year, there will be no Chinese food: Instead, there will be prodigious helpings of leftovers at Houston Steve’s.
To our Christian friends, a most Merry Christmas. May the day bring you peace, health, and all good things to you and to those you love.
Update: No Chinese food for supper, anyway. But then again, there’s lunch...
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