b'final mattersDreidels, Chinese Food, and a Christmas Tree named ShlomoA very merry and menschy Chrismukkah BY DONNY LEVITM y first experience as aradish and you really have a Hanukkah miracle. Jewishguypurchas- The spread would make Judah Maccabee proud.ingaChristmastreeAt sundown during Latkefest, we ask our guests had all the ingredientsto gather around our family menorahs to light the necessary for a Bustercandles. Our goal is to create a meaningful ritual, Keatonmovie.(Mywhether youre an observant Jew or a friend who now wife) Nicole andhas never taken part in the tradition. We ask close I took a short drive from our Brooklyn apartmentfriendsJews and non-Jews aliketo do the hon-to a skinny alleyway masquerading as a rural Ca- or of lighting the menorahs.nadian tree farm.We will soon bring home Shlomo XIII for the Although we consider our household Jewish,2024 holiday. This year is particularly unique be-the presence of a secular Christmas tree was part ofthe tree supported on my shoulder. In conclusion:cause the first night of Hanukkah falls on Christ-Nicoles upbringing. That said, once she met me,Jewish folk are not the most qualified to properlymasDay.TheChrismukkahcoincidencehasnt Nicole started squirreling away Stars of David andsecure a tree for travel. taken place in almost two decades. And its the first menorah tree ornaments to dress it up.We did a bourbon and Scotch tasting to cel- time well be celebrating in our new home in Atlan-Enveloped in the scent of pine needles, I askedebrate our success setting up the tree. After all, weta, having moved from Maplewood this past spring.questions about flexible branching, needle retentionhad to decide which would be the best booze toSo whats that 24 hours going to look like in and hydration best practices that I had prepared inoffer Santa when he comes down our fire escapethe Levit household? Christmas Eve will feature a advance. I attempted to speak knowingly about all(N.B.: Mr. Claus prefers Oban). feast, The Vince Guaraldi Trios A Charlie Brown thingsFraser,DouglasandScotspine.WeevenDuring the next few days, we started callingChristmas spinning on our turntable, and a gen-bought a few bottles of Sprite to add to the water,the tree Shlomo. What better way to fuse our tra- erous helping of Christmas cracker puns which which I was told would get the hydration going. ditions than to give it a Jewish name? The namewill give me at least a year of dad jokes.After homing in on a Fraser fir, my final taskstuck. Our son Jack joined our lives for ShlomoChristmas morning brings the proverbial gift was to simply tie the tree on top of our car. I wasIII. Our daughter Alexina was born eight monthsextravaganza followed by a valiant attempt to keep pretty impressed with my inaugural twine-tyingbefore Shlomo V. up with the kids on their new video games. When job. This whole Christmas tree thing was turningRight after Thanksgiving, the kids spin dreidelssundown arrives, well light candles on three fami-out to be a piece of Bche de Nol. on almost every surface in the house. Our fireplacely menorahs and start our annual debate about the Moments later, I slammed the brakes on ourmantel serves as both the living space for the me- easiest way to wash off the wax drippings. Instead car,leaptoutofthenorahs as well as where Santa would find his Obanof opening a Hanukkah gift on the first night, driversseatandbe- and cookies. The kids wont tolerate missing mul- well donate gifts to a local childrens charity.ganchasingafterourtiple viewings of A Charlie Brown Christmas andAnd in order to properly observe the December Christmas tree, whichA Rugrats Chanukah. Nearby, the dogs savored25 Jewish tradition, well fill our plates with Chi-wasrollingdownthetheir chew toys shaped as dreidels, elves and latkes. nese food takeout and crack open fortune cookies streetlikeanurbanAnd then theres Latkefestour holiday shin- as we watch the candles burn down. tumbleweed. I trippeddigthathasbecomeanannualtradition.OurInthebackground,ShlomoXIIIissmiling a few times while res- house fills up with friends to engage in savoringknowingly, sipping on his cocktail of water and cuing the tree from themy wifes amazing latkes. In the tradition of theSprite, and practicing his Hebrew. After all, hes oncomingtrafficandexpansion that exemplifies our Jewish home, Ni- angling to light the candles next year. My first experience pur- (a bit proudly) walkedcole has added parsnip and celeriac latkes to theDonny Levit is a writer, theater director, and radio DJ chasing a Christmas tree. the rest of the way withmix. Add a little sour cream, apple sauce or horse- living in Atlanta with his wife, two kids and two dogs.50/ matters magazine / holiday 2024'