Note to merchants in the region of Chandler, Arizona: I am Jewish and I am here.
Your Christmas displays are all very nice but Christmas, despite the marketing pressure to start the holiday season earlier and earlier each year, is not unti December 25. Chanukah begis December 7 this year. I want my candles, dammit.
I'm talking to you, Michaels, with your aisles and aisles of candles. Christmas doesn't even need candles, now most people put electric lights on their tree. Chanukah observations require it - so where are they? And I'm talking to you, Pier 1, who try to cultivate such an international atmosphere. You have ginger-scented candles and pine-scented candles and beach-scented candles. How about some that will fit my menorah? I'll even forgo the scent. I'm talking to you, Walgreen, with your seasonal aisle full of wiggling Santas and gift wrap. And most of all I'm talking to you, Cost Plus's so-called World Market. How about those parts of the world that aren't Xtian? And how can you have a floor-to-ceiling banner talking about Chanukah, the Festival of Lights on which we kindle the "sacred Menorah" [sic] yet not have a single Chanukah item other than a few gift bags in blue and white with six-pointed stars? (Even there I had to check closely because they were mixed in with blue and white bags featuring Santa's elves.) And please, while I appreciated your salepeople's helpful attitude, it doesn't help when they tell me the holiday goods are stocked in phases. Chanukah is two weeks away!!!! It's not going to do me any good getting my candles in time for Christmas.
American is not a Christian nation. It's a nation founded on values with a historically Judeo-Christian background and grown on contributions by people of all faiths. Today we are a pluralistic society with many beliefs and many holidays. So how about we stock our stores that way??
My non-Jewish husband and I celebrate both Chanukah and Christmas. I wouold prefer not to start the holiday season already pissed off at Christmas for totally taking over my culture.
Posted by dichroic at November 21, 2004 03:55 PMI stopped by my local quasi-independent bookstore to pick up some wedding/holiday gifts this afternoon, and there was a whole table stocked with Jewish- and Hanukkah-themed books, cards, candles, giftwrap, and even some art-glass dreidls and other doodads. (And I passed on the candles because at least two of our local Krogers will also stock them, if they haven't already done so.)
(Which doesn't help you at all, I know, but it always lifts my mood to come across tangible reminders that Nashville has far more going for it than just the megachurches and Music Row.)
Posted by: mechaieh at November 21, 2004 05:25 PMDo your supermarkets have kosher food sections? They're always a good source for yahrzeit candles - one would think they'd have Chanukah candles....
Posted by: Melanie at November 21, 2004 08:57 PMErr, Christmas is Dec. 25. The 21st (or 22nd) is Yule for us Pagan types ... and don't get me started on people hijacking religious holidays.
Posted by: Nora at November 22, 2004 06:32 AM