There are many types of family in North America, and together we have merged some of our celebratory enjoyment for the benefit of visiting friends, marriages into the family, for diplomacy, or for the special sacredness of appreciating the religious foundations of each others' morality and faith.

     Researching the Holly and the Ivy, both sacred herbs from days of yore, I learned that the Holly represents the male vibration and that Ivy is that of the female. Traditional custom has it that whether Holly or Ivy are brought into a household first indicates who will rule the house in the year to come.

    Mistletoe is the sacred plant of the Druids,and is used to celebrate Winter Solstice. A highly medicinal herb, it is not taken internally unless homeopathically, and, instead, hung over the doorway where the guests are invited to kiss the hosts. An old custom offers a berry per kiss to the visitor. When the berries are gone, the kisses are over with.

    The cartoon to the left shows a lady in her dressing gown, curlers and pink fuzzy slippers.
She is facing her husband (is it?) dressed in his own dressing gown, which he is holding open, wide. He is obviously and triumphantly flashing, seeking his reward.
They have just finished unwrapping their presents, next to the tree. Her comment is: "Y' know? I was wondering where the hell that mistletoe went!"

The word Yule is derived from 'rol', meaning a wheel indicating the changing of the seasons.At Yuletide,Celts used to hold grand bonfires to welcome the return of the sun.

When the Yule log is lit during Yuletide or Christmas, each member of the family makes a wish as the Yule is kindled with a piece of last years' log. The log burns for twelve hours.

Christmas

In the first century of the Christian era, a Jewish historical researcher called Josephus coined the term "Feast of Lights" for the days of Hanukkah.

The lighting of the menorah symbolizing the reclamation and rededication to the temple is a symbol of holiness in the world.
Jews are told that they are the chosen people of the Creator, and that in lighting the candles they are symbolizing being chosen to provide a light for all nations ,"Or La'Goyim".

As the candles are lit, one, then the second, then three, etc, they are lit for the benefit of others, because increasing the light per day increases the holiness in the world.

The menorah once used in the temple was made of one solid piece of gold, and carried seven branches upon the top of which were vessels holding the oil to be lit .
In the temple which became rededicated to the One, once pulled away from the Hellenistic Syrians by the fightin' Maccabees,the menorah was lit once per day.

Votive Food

Tradition, in Jewish kosher cookingfor Hanukkah, celebrates the miracle of the lamp. Dishes cooked with oil represent the phenomenon. When the Maccabees arrived (after winning against the Syrians) to rededicate the temple, there was oil left to light it for only one day, yet the flame in the lamp lasted eight days.

Food!

Traditionally, potato latkes are served.
These are pancakes made with grated potatoes and a little matzah flour, fried in oil.
There are, of course, many Jewish recipes for the season.
Herbs which can be refreshing with latkes are dill or mint.
Chop fresh mint into yoghurt to serve with the delicious pancakes.

Parsley root or leaf, pine nuts, nutmeats, juniper berries, cumin, sesame seed, mustard seed, orange and lemon are condiments which spark the taste and healthfulness of this Holidays' cooking. See below for kosher food links.