Chanukah thoughts

I often get asked, "What do Jewish people do for Christmas?" The answer to this question is simple: "Jews generally don't celebrate Christmas", which is only half-true because for most of us living in Western countries, celebrating Christmas in some way is nearly unavoidable. From the school drawings of Santa Claus to candy-cane laden Christmas trees prominent in shop fronts and public squares, to alcohol-laden office parties, Christmas is all around us.

But there's a Jewish holiday which is celebrated mid-winter, too. Like a significant number of Jewish holidays, Chanukah follows the pattern "They tried to kill us, but we survived, let's eat!"