Anna's Story

"I love your site! I just ordered a bunch of cards. I am a lapsed French Irish Catholic, first generation American. I married a Ralien, Agnostic, "nice Jewish boy". My Mother-in-law and all her tribe have accepted me gladly. (My French Catholic mother's response when I got engaged?-"I'd rather you married a Jew than a Protestant. At least they have a history."-Hilarious!) So we are a very blended group. Thank you again for understanding. (Though we call it "ChrismahannuKwanzaakuh" or "festivus")"

Michael's Story

"Come on, everybody should know the truth--
JESUS CELEBRATED HANUKKAH!

After all, he was Jewish.

Anyway, who is this Yeshua bloke and what does he have to do with Saturnalia anyway?

Best wishes of the season whatever you call it."

Judy's Story

"We were not quite a typical interfaith family when my children were growing up....

I was married to a Palestinean Arab born and brought up in Honduras as a Catholic yet I was sort of "Jew-ish" from Philadelphia. A dear friend gave us a lighted Star of David for the top of our tree which I think she bought at A Christmas Place in Miami (now defunct) which was, appropriately, owned by Jews. :-)

After many years of patching these lights together (It was two round pieces of plexiglass, I think, with different color sections forming the Star of David with the lights in between the two sheets of glass, I actually have pictures) and my Palestinean mespuchem getting over being aghast at this, the lights finally went the way of all things and disappeared from my life.

Now my grown children have formed one interfaith family and one "jew-ish" family and I would like to pass these lights on, plus find another set of my own, but they are no where to be found.

I have spent countless hours on the internet searching in any different forms or combinations of the words. Today I happened upon your site.

I figure that even if no one knows where I can find my beloved lights, at least you will understand the yearning. Any suggestions, of course, are welcome."

Carola - Vienna, Austria

"Finding your site lightens my heart!

Being the Jewish part of our interfaith family it hasn't always been easy here in Vienna for us to live this religous-mixed life we have but after a few years it seems that all friends of ours now anxiously are waiting for our selfmade Weihnukkah-cards - selfmade since first of all you wouldn't get them here and second since my (Catholic) husband is Creative Director at an advertising agency here in Vienna.

Reading about Chrismukkah and Seth Cohen made me laugh so hard - I remember when my kids (12 and 9) saw this episode it was: "Hey, they are doing the same as we do every year!"

There's more or less no Reformed Jewish community here in Austria. The conservative rabbi wouldn't celebrate together with a Catholic priest - so we had the hardest time celebrating our wedding with both religions incorporated (but we did it!) I wish my late father Edgar Ulmer could have been with us when we lit the unity candles while listening to "Sunrise, Sunset"

I am glad I found your site and I am already looking forward to next year to have menorahments on our christmas tree (it's too late to order them for this year ;-(() - just like my stocking has Stars of David embroidered ...

Wishing both of you and your families a very merry Chrismukkah - "Ein fröhliches Weihnukkah", Carola and family"

Greetings from Keith and the Pub Night Gang, Portland, Maine

"Having been a long time Christmakah celebrant, and one of your first visitors and message posters, I tell lots of people about your site. Glad to see you are doing so well :) I will be sending out a message via my email list later today and hopefully you will get a few hundred hits from it!

We just had our annual Christmakah party last night, it snowed all day, what a great sign! As always we had a wonderful time, great friends, great to spend time together. The Christmakah cookbook was a hit and next year we will be making some of the recipes and we will take some pictures of them for your site, forgot this year, just so chaotic.

The theme, as always, centered around good food, mostly chocolate types of things followed by chocolate lava cakes, followed by home-made cinnamon and pomegranate ice-cream (which we used to top the lava cakes), followed by more chocolate types of things. I think there was salad there too maybe.

We ended the party with jello shots which gave new meaning to "spin the dradel"! Yikes!

Have a great Christmakah Season!"

Cousin Roger's Chrismukkah Story

The term "Chrismukkah" is the German translation of "Weinukkah" which is a combination of Weihnachten (Christmas) and Hanukkah! The term Weinukkah dates back to at least the 1940s when I first heard it.... The little Christmas tree about 2 feet high at a friends "haus" was called a "Weinukkah Bush".... so there you go.... Chrismukkah can be claimed by you to be much older than "The O.C" on Fox because it is the english translation of a family idiom ! So there!!!

Have a wonderful "Weinukah"

Megan's Chrismukkah Story

I would like to thank you for hosting a chic and well-designed website all about a topic that is very important to me! I am the daughter of a Jewish mother and a Catholic father and grew up celebrating both Christmas and Chanukah, although my siblings and I were raised Jewish. I am now married to a Catholic man and it's always been important to me to send interfaith holiday cards. I've been lucky the past few years to find great designs by Marcel Schurman but I haven't found anything as great as the cards on your site. I will be placing my order tomorrow. Please continue to do business with interfaith products and keep the great designers that you have on your team! I found other interfaith cards on the web but nothing is as attractive as your products. Thank you again!

Rod Shapiro and Pat Wong's Chrismukkah Story

There was no way possible that I could prepare Pat for meeting my Parents. Considering I was the only Jew she knew I could only think of the culture shock she was going to experience not only meeting Stan and Mimi but also being in a gated community filled with retired Jews from New York. A few episodes of visiting Jerry Sienfeld's parents in Florida was not going to be enough to prepare Pat. I told her not to worry and to just be herself. The only criteria Pat had to meet for my parents approval was that she made their son happy, which was already confirmed. Prior to us getting married, my father used to take walks with Pat and I, introducing her as his daughter and me as his future son-in-law. It was his way of showing his love for Pat. My folks and Pat really hit it off well. One of my Mother's friends told her that when Pat wears her sunglasses, you can hardly tell that she's not Jewish. I no longer let Pat wear her sunglasses in Florida. Before we left Florida we visited a home of whom I will not disclose. Pat pointed to the door jam and commented, "Oh what a wonderful meshugunnah!". I gently corrected her saying indeed, it was a wonderful "mazzuzot" but that the meshugunnahs were the people who lived in the house.

Adam's Chrismukkah Story

Christmas time means one thing for Jews across the United States: Chinese food and a movie. This is our way of recognizing the birth of that guy - it's fun, it's tasty and although we might complain about the ever-rising price of movie tickets these days (oy), it's cheaper than all those damn gifts everyone is buying each other. So that's what we do. It's a tradition. Our tradition.

But there's a problem. You see, this is a Jewish tradition. We are an open and accepting people, don't get me wrong. But over the last few years I have seen a lot of non-Jews at both the movies and the Chinese food restaurants on Christmas. At first it was just the Indians and Asians and other various non-Christians. We are an accepting people, as I said above. So occassionally I'll catch a, "get a load of this guy" glance from a fellow Jew as an Indian family walks by to their dinner table, but that's about the extent of it. No one really cares, in fact, I think all Jews are glad that people are discovering that there are other things to do on December 25 besides participate in Christmas.

But you see, the problem is that now the Christians are catching on. After weeks of celebrating their "12 days" and bombarding us with Christmas trees and Christmas carols and Christmas decorations and Christmas cookies (actually, keep the Christmas cookies coming. I've got some Chanukah gelt I could trade you...) these Christians want more. Apparently opening mounds of presents that Santa "brought" only takes a few hours. That leaves most of the day left to, well, eat Chinese food and watch a movie. And as a result, the theatres are packed and the restaurant wait times are getting longer.

And us Jews are getting pissed. We came up with our own thing just so we could stay out of your way. The plan was working fine for decades. Why the sudden change? Well, change it back. You stick to your presents and we'll stick to our Chinese food and a movie. Everyone will be happy. Please? Did I mention I have plenty of Chanukah gelt to offer you?

Tina's Chrismukkah Story

My parents married in 1964. She was a manilla born catholic of german descent and he was an jewish man of Eastern European heritage. Their union did not get every family members blessing to say the least. But they brought up me and my siblings with open minds and exposure and respect for both religions and others. Throughout my childhood, we celebrated just what you have labelled here as Chrismukkah. I have fond memories of those times as my parents eventually divorced. I now live overseas and am often asked about American traditions. This is one I will have the pleasure to share. Thank you for giving a voice interfaith family and friends.

Sincerely, Tina, Zagreb, Croatia

Keith's Chrismukkah Story

I belong to a group called the "Pub-Nighters" here in Portland, Maine. Each Wednesday evening after work, about 6 pm, for the last ten+ years we have met at a different Pub, restaurant, event (state fair, Parade, cruise, etc.), and of course each others homes now and then for parties and special occasions.

We held our first Christmukkah Party (since half of us are Jewish and the other half are not) about ten years ago. We celebrate about the middle of December and have a christmas tree, menorah (sp), etc., we have all sorts of foods from many cultures around the world, we have a birthday cake for Jesus for the kids, we exchange small gifts, spin the dreidel, one of our friends tells the story of Hanukkah, another reads "The Night Before Christmas", and then we spend the rest of the night talking about what our faiths mean t us and what the year has brought us.

It is a wonderful tradition. I am sure we aren't the only ones as there are pub nighters in many eastern cities.

Just in case someone actually thought that the Boston Globe story of the OC TV Show that suggested someone on the show "invented" the idea, thought we should set the story straight :)

Glad you were there when I was walking the internet highway and we got our cards time for our Christmukkuh party tomorrow (Sunday the 12th) night's party. They will be a hit!

Peace, Keith

Sandy's Chrismukkah Story

A friend forwarded me your site because he knows that we have been celebrating Chrismukkah for about 10 years now with our Jewish friends. We coined the name of the holiday many years ago and still it seems to be at least as popular for our children to celebrate as Christmas Day!

My friend's family and ours have been together through good times and bad since our oldest children, now almost ready to graduate from high school were only babes in arms. The moms get together to shop before hand for gifts for the 5 children. The gifts are wrapped in both Hanukkah and Christmas wrap. Decorating the Christmas tree is a favorite activity for all, as well as decorating gingerbread houses. A traditional dinners of latkes and ham is served, after which sufganiot and Christmas cookies are favorite desserts! Then the candles are all lit and prayers are sung. Gifts are opened and we all enjoy reminicsing about Chrismukkahs past. I know we will always share this holiday with our "extended family".

Just thought you should know where it originated! Great minds think alike, I'm sure. We always talked about writing a book a-la "The Polar Express" about the spirit of the holiday, but your website is BRILLIANT! Happy Holidays and remember to keep the Chris in Chrismukkah!

Cathy's Chrismukkah Story

Hurrah! What a wonderful idea!My family is a fine blend of ingredients, resulting in bright and beautiful, bright,open-hearted, loving bunch. God bless you, as you help celebrate what love is all about! Thank you for legitimizing what my husband and I have been doing for 18 years. Our philosophy matches yours, and I truly believe that if more people bought into our way of thinking, specifically focused on tolerance of the differences in each of us, our world would be a much more pleasant and safer place in which to live. Happy Hanuclaus, as we say.

Patricia's Chrismukkah Story

Thank you. We too are a mixed up family. Myself and daughter (by 1st husband) are Jewish and my husband and his son (by 1st wife) are Christian; and in our house we celebrate both holidays. And we teach our children that they can celebrate another persons holiday without changing what they believe. These card are great keep up the great work. But I don't think I will tell the kids about the 18 days of present that would be a little much on the pocket book. Thank you for showing another way to make harmony in a interfaith family.

Barbara's Chrismukkah Story

HOW CUTE!!!! I read about your company at Yahoo and just wanted to write you and say.... IT IS ABOUT TIME! I am a 66 yr. young Jewish grandmother whose daughter married a non-Jewish man. Never could find a card to send them both. I always had to send a Hanukkah card for Gail and the children and a Xmas card to Tim. Your idea is wonderful and finally may I say THANK YOU - you are saving a lot of money to a lot of people.

Rebecca's Chrismukkah Story

When I was young, my dad made a menorrah out of a piece of wood in which he drilled 7 holes. I know, I know. That's not the correct number. We were a Unitarian family; so we mushed things together all the time. My mom, arranged pine boughs around its base and we used it to count down the days til Sanat Claus came--and we read the Hannakah story out loud each night as we lit the candles.

Jamie's Chrismukkah Story

What a wonderful site! I have been married for 6 months now.. my husband Joshua David (who is Catholic, go figure that one out)and I am Jewish! We first heard about Chrismukkah on the O.C. of course! I was joking around with a co-worker and said I wonder what is on the internet about this phenomenon.. and low and behold I discovered your website! What a cool idea... You should add a recipe section!! And have recipes that are used during both holidays!! That would be a neat idea...Keep spreading the word! and Merry Chrismukkah!!

Kaya's Chrismukkah Story

I grew up as an open minded Christian girl, I was baptised when I was an infant as a Methodist, and I have been apart of the United Church of Christ for most of my life. When I was in 7th grade, my mom married Rob Kravitz, a Jewsih man with two daughters slightly younger than I was. That year, we had our first Chrismukkah. We decorated the house in all its Christmas splendor and we put up the menorah in the dining room and I learned how to speak Hebrew, well at least the Baruch part... The years went by, and the two holidays have gained equal importance in our hearts. We now have a "Chanukkah bush", a mini-fake christmas tree that sits in our front window with silver and blue adornments and a Star of David at the top. People say walking into our house during the holidays is like stepping into a weird futuristic religious world, but we love both our holidays. As we eat latkes and drink egg-nog, I rejoice in getting "eight crazy nights" worth of presents, and Rob and my sisters enjoy waking up excited to see presents under the tree on Christmas morning.

Kimberly's Chrismukkah Story

I was so excited to read this article and glad to hear someone else thinks like me! My fiance is jewish and will not "so far" compromise. I visualize an X-mas tree in red/green and one in blue/white. I would like to combine the two and celebrate. When I see you have mixed the two with cards etc..I am so thrilled! (Now, if I could only convince my fiance). I think you are helping people "expand their minds" and courageously combining the two which is a fact of life in this country. I still do not understand the segregation between Christians and Jews in the year 2004. If everyone could love, cherish and respect each other for who they are this world would be a better place! You are helping the world see the two together. Maybe more people will marry "who they truly love" without worrying about different religions and discrimination. Cheers to you!!! Masol-tov!!!

Suzie's Chrismukkah Story

Hi, my name is Suzy and I am so happy to celebrate Chrismukkah! I have the heritage and the right to celebrate both Christmas and Hannukah. My mother is Orthodox Christian and my father is Jewish, and although neither is religious we do put up a tree and light the candles. I have sometimes been confused of what I should be. When I was little I was looking through my moms jewerly and saw a cross, she asked me if I wanted to wear one, I did not. My Jewish grandmother gets me Jewish symbols often, I never wear them. I consider myself to be Agnostic, but I never deny that I am able to celebrate a mix of holidays. I live in NYC so it's never really been a problem for me, but I love finding out that there are families like mine. I am seventeen years old so I hope to see more of this in the future. The only person who I'm really able to talk to about this is one of my friends who is an OC fan. He told me about Chrismukkah and how it was mentioned there and it made me smile. Thanks for making this possible!

Brooke's Chrismukkah Story

As a Unitarian, my parents and I were the oddballs in our very Protestant families. ONe year, my great-aunt, going senile, revealed to my mother that her grandmother, Charlotte, had actually been Jewish! This was the big "family secret", and I'm sure the rest of my relatives would not acknowledge Judaism in the family. I felt bad since this woman was the one who started our family in the US, so I decided to celebrate Chrismukkah with my roommate to give poor Charlotte a little recognition. My friend and I enjoyed combining the hoidays so much that we no longer bother with Christmas presents, but exchange 12 small gifts for Chrismukkah instead. We've been celebrating it since 1998 and love our unique holiday. :)

Neil's Chrismukkah Story

My parents were a mixed marriage, same as my wife and I. My dad's mother was jewish, first-generation American born of Hungarian parents. Her name was Yettis Berkowitz (Always referred to as Edith in my family. She married a Roman Catholic. My father, who I recently found out was confirmed at one time, was raised to be "Semi-Jewish", or as my wife refers to him and herself, "Jew Light". My father was given a choice of what religion to foloow, and eventually, as kids will, chose the easy road and picked neither, but still shows many traditionally Jewish traits. My Mom was raised in a home where religion really wasn't important, and dated mostly Jewish guys.I also chose not to follow any religious path, and eventually fell in love with and married a Jewish girl. My wife had been raised Jewish, went to a reform Synagogue, attended hebrew School, and even had a Bat Mitzvah. But with time, stopped attending services, even though she considers herself culturally Jewish. We couldn't find a Rabbi that would perform a "mixed marriage" at a reasonable fee when we were married, and wound up with a rather odd Unitarian. better than the jew for Jesus that married one of her best friends. first time I ever heard Hebrew with a thick southern drawl :). We decided early on that at Hannukah we would put out a mennorah (That my cat used to set herself on fire with one year. She wasn't hurt, but that's another story.), and have had Hannukah dinners, passover seders, and even Yom Kippur with friends, none of whom are Jewish or particularly religious either. As for Christmas, well, my wife always wanted a big Christmas tree and all the decorations. She's been visting family for the last week, so we'll do our decorating a week after Thanksgiving this year. One of the best memories I have of a mixed religion tradition was an Easter Egg hunt we had for an observant Jewish friend who realized in his mid 20s that he had never been on one. he had a blast running through our apartment finding Easter Eggs. He had a blast, as did we, and it proved that some things are just FUN, and that religion should never prevent that.

Rob's Chrismukkah Story

Mom is Jewish while Dad is WASPish. He converted to marry her. We were such a secularized familiy, however, that we celebrated holidays more as American traditions than religious ones. Some years we lit both a Christmas tree and a menorah. We had been putting five-pointed stars atop the tree for several years, but if memory serves, we might have eventually put a six-pointed one up there (the Star of David found on Israel's flag). There are so many holidays this time of year (Jewish, Pagan, Christian, neo-African, secular), that I usually just wish people a generic "Happy Holidays." I like your website 'cause it reminds me of my (albeit somewhat secularized) Judeo-Christian herritage.

Samantha's Chrismukkah Story

My family has been doing this for 58 years. It is wonderful to see these cards. My mother and I could not stop laughing!!!! My grandmother is Catholic, my grandfather is Jewish, my family is all mixed up religiously and proud of it. We've had a Hanukkah bush (that looks an awful lot like a Christmas tree) ever since I was little. I light candles every year for Hannukkah, get to open one present before Christmas, and then, wait to see what has been stuffed into my stocking and open all the rest of the presents on Christmas eve after dinner with the family. Thank you for bringing some light to mixed religious families. Keep up the Chrismukkah spirit!

Tina's Chrismukkah Story

I just read about your company and love your cards. I read Mr. Gompertz comment about Easterover in the newspaper. While he is dismissing it and the rabbi rabbit, my jewish husband and I will be holding our 4th Eastover (note the better spelling, in my opinion) this April. Our popular shindig keeps growing, and generally includes brisket, ham, boiled eggs and a matzoh meal cake in the shape of an Easter lamb.

Mella's Chrismukkah Story

Shalom, As you can guess, from my name, we are a bi-denomination family, and have been since 1977. My yarmulkah is off to you. It has always been a challenge to incorporate both beliefs into the holiday season. I love your cards and gift items. Keep up the good work, and Mazel Tov!!!!!!!

Kimberly's Chrismukkah Story

I'm not Jewish nor am I Christian. Actually, at best I'm agnostic. I grew up in a southern baptist home until I was given the choice by my Mother at age 14 to "decide for myself" if I wanted to continue to participate in church activities. Growing up in a culturally diverse community (yes, they DO exist in Tennessee!), I was surrounded by beliefs and rituals of all shapes and sizes. Finding these cards are wonderful b/c now I don't have to rely on totally generic Happy Holiday cards this year. Today we will put up our "sapin de noel" (my spouse is French) and go shopping for a menorah.

Debi's Chrismukkah Story

My husband being Jewish and me being non-denominational Christian, we have celebrated holidays of both faiths for several years. Our son will usually light the menorah and has even learned (through repetition) the blessings in Hebrew. Our son will also go to his grandparents house to help back Hanukkah cookies. He will then also help me with my Christmas cookie baking. My husbands father was raised for the first part of his life (until he was 13, when his Christian father passed away) with both religions as well. We make sure to invite him over to help us decorate our tree. This is a special time for our family. Rarely does it bring any conflict.

Laura's Chrismukkah Story

I had no idea that so many folks celebrated this combo holiday. My family started celebrating Chrismukkah a few years after my father got remarried to a Jewish woman. For the first few years, while me and my brother were younger, we would do both Christmas and Chanukkah, but they were very seperate. After a few years, as we got busier, the two began to merge. Now that my brother and I are both adults, we travel to my dad's house to celebrate once. So, I dubbed the joint celebration Christmukkah. If it is actually Chanukkah, we light the candles, otherwise we just eat and exchange presents and enjoy spending time together. Then we head to mom's for the all the traditional Christmas festivities. As a strong Christian, I have actually enjoyed learning about the tradional Jewish holidays since it is part of the heritage of my faith. I'm glad so many other families ahve found ways to celebrate together as well.

Debbie's Chrismukkah Story

When my husband and I married, lo these many years ago, I had always lit a menorah and he had always plugged in the lights on a live christmas tree. I tried writing the words to prayer over the candles phonetically for Rick to say with me, but he never felt comfortable with it (it's Hebrew, but it might as well have been Japanese). And I never felt good about killing a tree a year.

So we reached a compromise.

I light the candles alone, but allow Rick to bask in their light. And instead of a tree, we string Rick's lights on a bakers rack with potted plants on it. Lights, greenery, no dead tree. Rick's happy, I'm happy, the trees in the national forest near our house are happy!

Rachel's Chrismukkah Story

With a name like Rachel, you'd think I might be Jewish. Oy! With a name like Rachel, I thought I should be Jewish.

At the ripe ol' age of eight, surrounded by mostly Jewish friends, including Rachel S. and Rachel H., I decided that as much as I adored Santa and all that he had done for me, I would attend Jewish Summer Camp (whose official name now escapes me) so that I could learn how to be a nice Jewish girl. Turns out, other than the songs we learned and sang in Hebrew, it was mostly a camp like any other. We played. We ate. We slept. It was great being Jewish.

I returned home that summer with a special appreciation for my newfound religion, and sure enough, come the holiday season, ventured over to my Jewish friends' homes to partake in the menorah blessing and spin the dreidel. Even so, I was still happy to leave milk and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve and have visions of sugarplums dance in my head. It was great being Christian.

24 years later, when friends and colleagues Ron Gompertz (Jewish) and his wife Michelle Gantt (Christian) approached me with the idea of illustrating a line of greeting cards based on the hybridization of Jewish and Christian ritual and iconography, I couldn't resist. Their daughter Minna, after all, was the perfect hybrid herself.

And so, here's to Chrismukkah and all the goodness and wonder that comes from the mishmash of holiday cheer.

John and Nadine's Chrismukkah Story

We're the thoroughly Protestant midwestern parents of Michelle and in-laws of Ron, proud grandparents of lovely Minna. And we think we come by our appreciation for the idea of chrismukkah pretty naturally.

It started with the adoption of a Korean-born girl-child - Michelle's younger sister. It continued in various ways throughout our ministry - as couples seeking marriage ceremonies in the church also wanted expressions pertinent to their own faith backgrounds or histories. So we've been involved in the wedding of our Korean daughter to her husband who was born in New Delhi, India. Although his family was Christian, the customs were different, and we wrapped the bride in a gorgeous sari, shared gold jewelry as a sign of how precious the marriage rite is, and encouraged participation of family members dressed in traditional garb.

Within the family we also delighted in the wedding of our son to a young woman whose mother is from Okinawa. Their wedding in the chapel of our seminary was brightened by the Japanese kimonos worn by relatives who came to the US especially for the ceremony - and the tables at the reception included handmade peace cranes, an origami-style symbol of the hope for peace and health in the aftermath of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear devastation.

We've celebrated the sacrament of Holy Baptism for chidren in both those families. And outside our own household, there have been weddings of Protestants-Roman Catholics (in fact in one community where we served the church, I was the first Protestant to be allowed to speak from the pulpit of the community's Roman Catholic church!), a funeral for the Jewish husband of a member of our congregation (complete with nearly ribald story-telling by fellow stock brokers of the deceased!), a wedding including Ba'hai features, and a wedding in which half the ceremony was spoken in Farsi as we melded into it features of an Islam tradition.

We are strong and unwavering in our Christianity, but committed to the values of the denomination of which we are part - the United Church of Christ - which is outstanding in its vision of inclusivity, diversity, religious and cultural tolerance, and social justice. Perhaps one of the strengths of our personal faiths comes from our awareness of - and gratitude for - the rich and diverse historical and faith roots of Christianity. We cherish the foundation of the Jewish Torah and Israel's story of God at work in human affairs as the base from which Christianity has grown and to which it will always be indebted. That's why - for years - the term "shalom" has been part of any worship liturgy I lead, and has appeared in our own homemade Christmas greetings over the years. It is our prayer for wholeness, peace and well being for all.

Now with Ron, Michelle, and Minna to keep us ever sensitive and alive to meanings and nuances, we'll have to figure out how to craft the chrismukkah stars for our family tree - and we'll work on our pronunciation of MazelTov which I blurted out rather tentatively at their wedding. Thanks to the Gompertz' for turning us on to some new ways to think and relate. We're looking forward to exciting holiday times over the years -and as we hone our celebrations together, perhaps they will also be holy-days in a new way.

Shalom: The Gantts.

Debbie's Chrismukkah Story

When I was a young girl living in Buffalo N.Y we had a small artifical pink Christmas tree with beautiful lights, decorations and lots of tinsel!! My Mom kept it on a table in the living room. When my paternal Grandma came to visit my Mom would put it in the closet. She told my sister and I not to mention the tree to Grandma as it would upset her. In the nine years I lived in Buffalo, I never mentioned the tree to my Grandma.

When we moved to CA. and out of my Grandma's view, we always had a beautiful and very large tree every year.

Years later when my Grandma was in her 90's, my maternal aunt had her over for the Christmas holiday. My aunt, being a good Catholic girl, always had a beautiful Christmas tree in her living room. My aunt noticed my Grandma staring at the tree with it's twinkling lights and beautiful ornaments and asked her what she was thinking. My Grandma replied "Christmas trees are so lovely, I should have let Albert,(my Dad/her son), have one when he was a little boy!" When my family heard that we had to laugh because of all the times we had to hide our little pink tree from her. If we had only known!!

I believe that this story illustrates that it is never to late to learn to appreciate and respect the differences in other religions and cultures.

Thank you Grandma.

Mara's Chrismukkah Story

When George and I got married, among all the smiling well-wishes, there were four unhappy faces at our wedding. His mother "Oh no! You'e marrying a Jewess!" (only woman on earth who ever referred to me as a Jewess) and my parents and grandfather "Oy vay! You'e marrying a sheygitz!"

But when the grandchildren arrived, everything changed. They all found out that the two of us were the exact combination for creating perfect grandchildren."

We had decided early on to teach our kids everything and allow them to figure out what all they were for themselves. We were a family of Hanukkah menorah and Christmas tree all the way. "

The Jewish relatives all stopped by for a minuite on the 25th to "see the children" Then my mother took up needlepoint and the most beautiful projects at the needlepoint store were some handpainted Christmas stocking projects, so she needlepointed each kid a stocking complete with name on the top. Then, when I invited them to stay for dinner, "A little bite would be nice -- should I bring a kugel?""

They were all sick of the only avenue available to Jews on Christmas -- blockbuster movie matinee followed by Chinese take out."

And thus was born the Yiddish Xmas. The totally traife meal: ham, scallopped oysters, and macaroni and cheese. The Jewish cousins who were little kids when they first started coming for YX, as grownups call me early in November to make sure they're invited for YX in December."

Our two sons have grown up to be fine mishmashes. The grandparents are kvelling."

Ron's Chrismukkah Story

Today, I live with my wife and daughter in Montana, in a house I built by a winding river, in a valley surrounded by snow capped mountains, open range, horses, bison and the occasional bear. There are far more eagles than Jewish people around these parts. It's a little different than the middle-class New York City neighborhood I grew up in

Back then, everyone I knew was Jewish... except for the Italian, Irish, Puerto Rican kids in my class and those exotic, untouchable girls in kneesocks and plaid miniskirts who went to the Sacred Heart of Mary down the block. I went to PS 98 and we played stick ball and Ring-o-Levio in the street. Each Tuesday afternoon I had to attend Hebrew school to learn about Judaism. I was Bar Mitzvah'd at 13... went to Temple on high holidays... never much ventured beyond the immediate neighborhood... your typical New York growing up story.

Early each winter, after the turkey leftovers had been tossed, my brother and I watched in anticipation as our mother took down the old box from the hall closet and arranged the glittery white branches in a planter. Growing up in Germany, Mom had narrowly escaped the camps. Mom's mother was Jewish, but her father was Lutheran, and when she was a little girl, they had celebrated Christmas and Chanukah.Now, Mom loved the ritual of decorating the 'Chanukah Busch' as we called it. "I did not quite dare to put up a real tree even though I missed the warm sentimental childhood feelings the tree represented for me." We hung Dreidels and colorful cookies from the branches and wired a Star of David to the top.

On the first night of Hannukah, my brother and I eagerly awaited the visit from the "Hanukkah Man" (my grandfather Leo in disguise). He'd ask us if we'd been bad or good, and promise gifts to follow. On Christmas day, if there was snow on the ground, we'd go out to the sledding hill, knowing it would be empty and we'd have it all to ourselves.

Three years ago I met my wife. Michelle is from the mid-west. Born in Kentucky, raised in Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. Her father is a Protestant minister. ("Wow, that's Shiksa to the 10th power!" commented a Jewish friend of mine.) My father-in-law has been pastoring most of his life. Michelle's sister Kim is from Korea, adopted at the age of 3. Kim's husband is from India. Michelles sister in-law is 1/2 Japanese. Throw in the nieces, nephews and me.... our family gatherings are a "We are the World" celebration.

While we were still dating, Michelle and I began learning about one another's holiday rituals, and celebrating an eclectic mishmash of a Christmas and Chanukah combination. One evening, last December, a few sleep deprived months after the birth of our daugher, we were watching TV and the "The O.C." was on. In that episode, ironic teenage anti-hero Seth Cohen was joking about his half-Jewish family celebrating "Chrismukkah." Michelle and I looked at each other. "That sounds familiar."

The next day I searched the internet for "Chrismukkah" and found little... only some references to old joke web sites... but nothing more recent. We made and mailed out our home-made Chrismukkah cards to our friends and relatives. A while later we registered the Chrismukkah.com domain name, and over the next few months, conceptualized and designed (with friend and illustrator Rachel Pearson) the Chrismukkah holiday card line you now see on this web site.