OK I’ll save you some See you Monday Felicity got off the bus in a flurry of red scarf and green coat Sara could see Felicity’s house beyond her all decked out in giant candy canes with reindeer landing on the roof next to a huge star blinking on and off When she got to her own house it just looked dark and ordinary She banged the front door loud enough for her mother to hear from the kitchen Is that you Sara Don’t drop your coat on the floor Sara dragged her coat into the kitchen and dropped it on a chair She said to her mother I bet we’re the only family on the block that doesn’t have a Christmas tree Sara’s mother sighed You know we can’t have a tree honey we’re Jewish Jews don’t celebrate Christmas so Jews don’t have Christmas trees End of story Sara knew her mother loved beautiful things But they’re beautiful
I know honey And you can go over to your friends houses and enjoy their trees as much as you like It’s not the same We’re not the same Jews are weird Her mother stopped what she was doing and crouched down in front of her hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes Sara Has someone said anything at school Anything bad about being Jewish Mom quit it It’s not like that I just want a tree that’s all Why can’t we just have the same stuff as everyone else for once Sweetheart we may not have an ever green in our living room but we have plenty of lights this time of year now that Chanukah’s started Sara kicked the floor sulkily Just eight dumb candles So what Chanukah’s not even a very important Jewish holiday You said so yourself Maybe not But it’s what we celebrate in
December so learn to love it SETTTHHH Sara’s big brother Seth came barreling down the stairs sounding like a herd of elephants as their dad used to say He wasn’t much older than she was but he was a whole lot bigger especially his feet What Mom I was just getting to the ninth level Seth liked computer games He didn’t care much about trees or lights if they weren’t on a screen Did you do your homework Wash your face Get changed and go get your overnight bag We’re leaving for Aunt Leah’s in twenty minutes Their mother opened the fridge and started taking out covered dishes It’s the Chanukah party tonight remember What did we do with all the presents I wrapped Sara go get your sleepover bag I’m not going said Sara Yaay Seth shouted Their mother ignored this Oh yes you are Come on Sara you know you always
love Aunt Leah’s Chanukah party We’ll eat latkes and light candles and sing songs and play dreidels Dreidels are boring said Sara That’s just cause you don’t know how to play said Seth I do so Get your stuff and get in the car kids sighed their mother We’ll be late She said that every year And she was right
