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Friday, December 26, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
THE HOUSE WITHOUT A CHRISTMAS TREE
Toastmasters International
Communication and Leadership Program
Project Three
The House Without a Christmas Tree
by Paul T. Abramson
I am going to tell you how my mother compensated for our never having a Christmas tree. And in the process, you will learn how to create your own holiday symbol.
I shall first explain that I am Jewish. Because of this, we did not celebrate Christmas. Chanukah was the big holiday every winter. The first night of Chanukah was special. We would sit and watch and wait for the sun to set. Then we would light the candles on the menorah, and exchange gifts. But we never had a tree.
Remembering that we were Jewish was very important. Chanukah is an eight-night event. Due to the fact that the Jewish religion uses a different calendar, Chanukah sometimes occurs several weeks before Christmas. This is one of the perks of being Jewish. It allows you ample time to gloat in front of your non-Jewish friends about all the neat toys you have already received. They would have to wait. And you still get to enjoy Frosty, Rudolph, and the Grinch. But what made Chanukah extra special was the Giant Dreidel, which my mother would make with our assistance.
What is a dreidel? A dreidel is a very pivotal part of the Chanukah holiday. The word dreidel is actually derived from the German word for top. A dreidel is a four sided spinning toy inscribed with Hebrew characters – Nun, Gimel, Heh, and Shin – an acronym that stands for “A Great Miracle Happened There.” The exception is dreidels made in Israel, which read “A Great Miracle Happened Here. It’s a gambling game. Which character the dreidel stops on determines who gets the candy coins in the pot. Or who puts the candy coins in the pot.
My mother would make the Giant Dreidel using a round wastebasket for the base. The body and lid were made of shipping boxes acquired from the rear of the local Safeway. The handle was from an empty roll of either toilet paper or paper towels.
This is how you make a Giant Dreidel. Place the box on top of the wastebasket. Next cover the box and wastebasket with gift-wrapping paper. For best results, choose a paper without a Christmas theme. Once you have secured the paper to the base and body of the dreidel, you can create the lid. Using the box cover, cut a hole in the center and insert the empty roll. Tape the handle in place and cover the newly crafted lid with the wrapping paper.
You are now ready to create the characters. To do this, you will need colored construction paper or card stock. Draw the characters – Nun, Gimel, Heh, and Shin – cut them - neatness counts – and glue them in place on the appropriate side. You are not finished.
It is time to decorate the Giant Dreidel. You can decorate it any way you want. But please bear in mind that this is Chanukah. Santa Claus will have to stay at the North Pole.
With the Giant Dreidel seated proudly in the living room, lift the lid and insert the toys. If the toys do not fit, it is okay to lay them around the Giant Dreidel in a manner similar to that of a Christmas tree.
The next step is to sit and wait and watch as the sun slowly sets. This is an extremely long process on the first night of Chanukah. After the sun finally leaves, it is time to light the candles on the menorah and say a prayer thanking God for allowing us to kindle the Chanukah lights. You may then proceed with the getting of gifts. Or the giving of gifts, depending on your age.
For nights two through eight, repeat the previous step. Candy coins (called gelt) will serve as appropriate gifts.
After the eighth night of Chanukah, it is time to say good-bye to the Giant Dreidel. Open the lid and step inside. If you have a dog, place him inside too. Rock the dreidel back and forth as vigorously as you can. The Giant Dreidel will magically transform itself into garbage, ready to rise like the phoenix and be re-born next year.
That is how to make a Giant Dreidel. And that is how my mother compensated for our never needing a Christmas tree.
Communication and Leadership Program
Project Three
The House Without a Christmas Tree
by Paul T. Abramson
I am going to tell you how my mother compensated for our never having a Christmas tree. And in the process, you will learn how to create your own holiday symbol.
I shall first explain that I am Jewish. Because of this, we did not celebrate Christmas. Chanukah was the big holiday every winter. The first night of Chanukah was special. We would sit and watch and wait for the sun to set. Then we would light the candles on the menorah, and exchange gifts. But we never had a tree.
Remembering that we were Jewish was very important. Chanukah is an eight-night event. Due to the fact that the Jewish religion uses a different calendar, Chanukah sometimes occurs several weeks before Christmas. This is one of the perks of being Jewish. It allows you ample time to gloat in front of your non-Jewish friends about all the neat toys you have already received. They would have to wait. And you still get to enjoy Frosty, Rudolph, and the Grinch. But what made Chanukah extra special was the Giant Dreidel, which my mother would make with our assistance.
What is a dreidel? A dreidel is a very pivotal part of the Chanukah holiday. The word dreidel is actually derived from the German word for top. A dreidel is a four sided spinning toy inscribed with Hebrew characters – Nun, Gimel, Heh, and Shin – an acronym that stands for “A Great Miracle Happened There.” The exception is dreidels made in Israel, which read “A Great Miracle Happened Here. It’s a gambling game. Which character the dreidel stops on determines who gets the candy coins in the pot. Or who puts the candy coins in the pot.
My mother would make the Giant Dreidel using a round wastebasket for the base. The body and lid were made of shipping boxes acquired from the rear of the local Safeway. The handle was from an empty roll of either toilet paper or paper towels.
This is how you make a Giant Dreidel. Place the box on top of the wastebasket. Next cover the box and wastebasket with gift-wrapping paper. For best results, choose a paper without a Christmas theme. Once you have secured the paper to the base and body of the dreidel, you can create the lid. Using the box cover, cut a hole in the center and insert the empty roll. Tape the handle in place and cover the newly crafted lid with the wrapping paper.
You are now ready to create the characters. To do this, you will need colored construction paper or card stock. Draw the characters – Nun, Gimel, Heh, and Shin – cut them - neatness counts – and glue them in place on the appropriate side. You are not finished.
It is time to decorate the Giant Dreidel. You can decorate it any way you want. But please bear in mind that this is Chanukah. Santa Claus will have to stay at the North Pole.
With the Giant Dreidel seated proudly in the living room, lift the lid and insert the toys. If the toys do not fit, it is okay to lay them around the Giant Dreidel in a manner similar to that of a Christmas tree.
The next step is to sit and wait and watch as the sun slowly sets. This is an extremely long process on the first night of Chanukah. After the sun finally leaves, it is time to light the candles on the menorah and say a prayer thanking God for allowing us to kindle the Chanukah lights. You may then proceed with the getting of gifts. Or the giving of gifts, depending on your age.
For nights two through eight, repeat the previous step. Candy coins (called gelt) will serve as appropriate gifts.
After the eighth night of Chanukah, it is time to say good-bye to the Giant Dreidel. Open the lid and step inside. If you have a dog, place him inside too. Rock the dreidel back and forth as vigorously as you can. The Giant Dreidel will magically transform itself into garbage, ready to rise like the phoenix and be re-born next year.
That is how to make a Giant Dreidel. And that is how my mother compensated for our never needing a Christmas tree.
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