2019 Life Logs, Day 356: Happy Hanukkah
Date: Sunday, December 22, 2019
Weather: Partly Sunny; High 48, Low 34 degrees
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Yesterday we celebrated solstice and this evening I celebrated the first night of Hanukkah with Heather and family. Earlier in the day, we all went Christmas shopping. The melding of cultures results in an interesting approach to the holiday season. And we seem to do it all and enjoy it. Jed drove Heather and the boys over to my house just after noon. We had a last minute change of plans as Heather and Jed had planned to leave Sam and Jonah with me and they were doing with Ollie to see Frozen II. But when they arrived, the sun was shining and all three boys wanted to spend time playing with Shadow and hanging out down on the dock. It was decided to enjoy the moment, so the movie date was put off until tomorrow afternoon. Jed headed off to do his shopping while the rest of us enjoyed some time outside with Shadow. Then I took Heather and the boys shopping in Mashpee Commons. It was a fun afternoon trying to buy things and keep it a secret from everyone else. But we managed and I think all three boys finalized their Christmas shopping. I dropped Heather and boys at home and headed to downtown Falmouth to pick up a couple of other items. By the time I got home and took Shadow out for a walk, it was time to head to Heather and Jed’s for the first night of Hanukkah festivities. Shadow and I missed the lighting of the menorah, but we ate latkes and leftovers from last night’s solstice celebration and opened the Hanukkah presents I brought. 
But because I brought presents, Jonah insisted that they give me an early Christmas present first. During our shopping outing, he had bought a Christmas puzzle for me and that was presented to me tonight. I knew Heather wanted a glass and metal spinning tea light holder and I decided to give it to her tonight so they can enjoy it over the next couple of days. She was truly delighted. Evidently, she had ordered the same one for herself but was not sure it was going to arrive in time for Christmas, so getting the one tonight made her very happy. 
I had a special present for each boy from Shadow. I can’t divulge the contents as I sent the same thing to Ziggy and Coco in Puerto Rico and they will not open their present until Christmas Eve. But I will say the boys loved the small gift. They also loved the plastic dreidels filled with chocolate gelt. But the hit of the night was the book I bought for the boys but gate to Jed as it needed his dramatic flair to be properly enjoyed by all. It was a book called Meet the Latkes by Michel Silberberg. And Jed’s reading (and Ollie’s additions) did not disappoint. The book is filled with plays on words and middle school humor as it tells the story of Hanukkah and Jed’s reading had us all laughing until we cried. Another delightful evening.
