Opinion: As Christmas and Hanukkah coincide, is it time for everyone to let there be holiday lights?
LA TimesHanukkah begins on Christmas this year, marking a rare coincidence of the Jewish and Christian holidays, which occur according to different calendars. We keep them that way out of habit, tradition and a lingering belief that holiday lights are “not Jewish.” My kids don’t observe the rigid boundaries of my childhood, though. While holiday lights have only become less specifically religious, they still carry strong associations with the Christian celebration of Jesus’ birth. The Jewish tradition uses light as a symbol of hope and connection, not least at Hanukkah, often called the “Festival of Lights.” The menorah represented eternal light and divine presence in the ancient temple, and Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of a single day’s oil lasting eight. For Jewish families, embracing holiday lights doesn’t have to mean celebrating Christmas.
History of this topic
Pope Francis urges 'all people of all nations' to end divisions and halt arms in Christmas address
Hindustan Times
Dreamy lights, spectacular trees: Christmas across the world in pics
Hindustan Times
Dreamy lights, spectacular trees: Christmas across the world in pics
Hindustan Times
Hanukkah begins on Christmas Day this year: A rare holiday overlap
India Today
Letters to the Editor: Holiday lights, and the ‘Peanuts’ gang, belong to all faiths
LA Times
Why do Christmas lights have to be so crass?
The Independent
Jewish Americans Gather On Zoom For Hanukkah During COVID-19 Pandemic
Huff PostHanukkah and the inextinguishable hope of the human story
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