It's Not Only Jews Who Get Lonely
A couple of years ago, a local bookstore was going out of business. This is before Borders died, and they couldn't slash prices low enough. I wandered through the store, picking books up and putting them down, trying to figure out how I could incorporate an 18-foot rolling ladder into my shoebox of an apartment. After a while I stumbled across a slew of stationery and cards, and as I dug through, found a bunch of Hanukah stuff. A boxed set of cards, a group of gift cards, and I haggled the price down and then bought it all up.
I think of sending out holiday cards as something families do, not single people. What would I do, send a card with a photo montage of me all over it? Write a little blurb about how I vacationed above the Castro a few times, and in Spring took a trip out to the Mission?
But I'm sitting on these Hanukah cards. What am I supposed to do with them? Take them out of the drawer, admire them, then put them back until the next time? Except I don't live in New York anymore, Land of All People Jewish. I live in a world full of people who celebrate Christmas now. Is it rude or disrespectful to send a Hanukah card to someone you know for a fact doesn't celebrate it?
So today I was deliberating buying some less ... denominational cards, more winter-themed, for the non-Jews. The WASP and I were chatting about cards. Obviously, she's not a MOT. She told me something surprising - that she has a few Jewish friends (that's not the surprising part), but they never send her Hanukah cards, and she'd love to get some. Her whole face lit up telling me this. ORLY?! Well, it won't be a miracle on 34th Street, but it will be a miracle near 3rd and 4th Streets and that counts, right?
She's got a couple of little kids, so I am thinking some Hanukah gelt taped to her Hanukah card might be the way to go. It truly never occurred to me that the Christmases might want to receive Hanukah cards. Is the WASP the only one who feels this way? If you're a Christmas, please let me know what your feelings are on this.
I think of sending out holiday cards as something families do, not single people. What would I do, send a card with a photo montage of me all over it? Write a little blurb about how I vacationed above the Castro a few times, and in Spring took a trip out to the Mission?
But I'm sitting on these Hanukah cards. What am I supposed to do with them? Take them out of the drawer, admire them, then put them back until the next time? Except I don't live in New York anymore, Land of All People Jewish. I live in a world full of people who celebrate Christmas now. Is it rude or disrespectful to send a Hanukah card to someone you know for a fact doesn't celebrate it?
So today I was deliberating buying some less ... denominational cards, more winter-themed, for the non-Jews. The WASP and I were chatting about cards. Obviously, she's not a MOT. She told me something surprising - that she has a few Jewish friends (that's not the surprising part), but they never send her Hanukah cards, and she'd love to get some. Her whole face lit up telling me this. ORLY?! Well, it won't be a miracle on 34th Street, but it will be a miracle near 3rd and 4th Streets and that counts, right?
She's got a couple of little kids, so I am thinking some Hanukah gelt taped to her Hanukah card might be the way to go. It truly never occurred to me that the Christmases might want to receive Hanukah cards. Is the WASP the only one who feels this way? If you're a Christmas, please let me know what your feelings are on this.
Labels: A Lonely Jew, Overthinking, People watching, Wishing and Hoping
posted by Green at 12/07/2011 10:23:00 PM
9 Comments:
I love receiving cards, regardless of the occasion. I can't imagine anyone who knows you being offended or upset by receiving a Hanukah card instead of a nondenominational card. I say, mail the cards! Include the gelt for the kids!
(Before I was part of a committed couple, I sent out seasonal holiday cards. I'm not at all religious, so they were usually pretty non-holiday-specific - but I still sent them.)
I'm just one more person trying to put the X back in Xmas, but I love getting any kind of card. I can't even imagine how anyone would be offended by getting a card, but that's because I'm not easily offended, and I don't have a good imagination, I guess. I do think that anyone who would object deserves to be the miserable SOB he is. I have made my own cards for years and send them out via USPS--over a hundred of them. My little contribution to the post office.
I like postcards the best, since I kinda hate all holidays. If someone sent me a winter solstice card, that would be great. Or a humorous card mocking holidays and religion. But if I *were* Christmassy, I'm sure I'd appreciate a Hanukah card!
I have recieved Eid, Vaisakhi, Easter, and Christmas cards this year - each and every one was very much appreciated despite the fact I only celebrate the latter two.
I am Christian but would love to get a Hanukah card! In fact, I'd love to trade one with you (if you'd be willing to send one overseas). You'd get a Christmas card in return -- or another non-holiday greeting card, if you'd prefer that. Let me know if you're interested!
I'd love to get a Hannukah card. I think it's nice any time someone wants to send me good wishes! -- whether in connection with my religion or theirs or any other holiday (my grandmother sends Halloween cards every year...).
And, truly, it's not as if Hannukah is an anti-Christian holiday, at least so far as I can tell... I'd have an easier time understanding a Jewish person being offended by receiving a very religious-themed Christmas card, than a Christian person being offended by receiving a Hannukah card.
And certainly I would *hope* that a generic "Happy Hannukah" or "Merry Christmas" without a lot of other religious-themed writing all over it, would not offend anyone! (But there are a lot of folks in our society who like to take offense at things, including those who want to be offended by a generic "Happy Holidays" statement because it doesn't recognize "Christ as our saviour" so I do understand your concern....).
And I don't think card-sending is or should be limited to families. I know my family *loves* to hear from our single friends, too -- whether it's a letter with tales of your vacation or just a short blurb about your new job, or even just a "thinking of you; hope all is well" type wish in a signed card.
So, I'd say, send 'em out if you've got the time and are inclined to do so.
And Happy Holidays to you! :)
Yes! We love getting any kind of card, including the hyper-Christian ones even though that's not how WE celebrate the holiday. When I was single, I used to send out New Years cards, just to say hi, and I think people liked that (and I liked sending them).
I love sending holiday cards. I celebrate Christmas, and some years my cards have said Merry Christmas and other years just Happy Holidays. And I love receiving holiday cards, whether from families or single people and whether for Christmas or in celebration of whatever holiday the sender observes. They always make me smile.
I would love to get a Hanukah card.
And I don't think being single should keep you from sending out holiday cards if you want to. I never do holiday letters talking about all the stuff we did; frankly, our lives aren't that exciting. And we never did photo cards until the last couple years. Before that we just sent out cards with heartfelt messages and such. Just an excuse to send a bit of love to those you love. :) I actually think that's nicer than the photo cards, but now with 2 kids and everything else I just don't have time to write heartfelt messages to so many people.
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