Xmas 1959

I just found an account I had once written about a Christmas evening in New York.Though we just arrived in the year 2012 I thought it would still be relevant. This was the first year that my second husband and daughter and I celebrated Christmas together.

Customs in Germany were quite different than in the U.S. so we had had to do quite a bit of planning. Wrapped packages in the morning and one gift on Christmas evening. Yes, and just a light meal before lighting the tree. The tree never went up before Christmas eve in Germany, a custom I had carried over into my daughters life. Of course the tree was going to be lit with wax candles sent over by my mother who also supplied the candle holders.

We lived in an apartment building on Riverside Drive on the seventh floor with a stunning view of the river. Just as we had put the last touches of decorations on the tree my daughter came to announce that she had run into the son of our new neighbours, the Kaplans, and had invited him in to view the tree later and have a bite to eat with us. Was that o.k.? Yes, he had the permission from his mother though she did not know that we were serving some pork cold cuts. But my husband said that the boy was old enough to know what he was allowed to eat and what not and could make up his own mind. And so it came to pass that a young Jewish boy was having a light supper sitting near a brightly light Christmas tree overlooking the Hudson River.

At first we two grownups made polite conversation with our young Jewish guest whom we hardly knew. He even ate some of the pork cold cut which he found quite tasty. Since he knew he would not have to go into purgatory it was probably even more acceptable.

Soon the children started to discuss the use of candles in their respective religions as they understood it and we two grownups could only marvel at this spectacle. I will never forget the picture of these two eight-year-olds who did not yet know anything about the controversies within the religions. David thought the tree and its tradition of lighting up the darkest night of the year very interesting and then proceeded to explain the use of the Menorah and its candles as he understood it. We two grown-ups totally kept out of the conversation and only thought, "this is how the world should deal with issues, as these two children did instinctively." And in a totally civilized manner.

"Mazeltov and Happy New Year."