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
Chapter 2 At Aunt Leah’s party the Chanukah candles had already been lit The meno rahs were sparkling in the windows and the rooms were full of aunts and uncles and cousins of all ages doing what they always did The teenage cousins were off in a cor ner talking about teenage stuff so everyone ignored them The baby cousins were falling down and sticking their hands in the food but everyone thought they were adorable anyway Seth and Sara found their cousins
Jason and Amy and Max and they did what they did every year which was to try and find all the gold-covered chocolate coins that had been scattered around as decorations and hide them to eat when no one was looking Everyone really wanted to watch Aunt Leah’s giant new plasma screen TV but No TV at a family party said the grown-ups It was cold outside but inside there was none of the crisp snowy green feeling that Sara loved at this time of year Everything at the Chanukah party was warm and golden the glowing candles the deep-fried latkes the applesauce and the bright foil on the choco late coins It was pretty in its own way and the food was fantastic as always But it wasn’t the same as at her friends houses with their evergreen wreaths and plaid ribbons or at the mall with its candy-cane decorations or the city department store windows with their scenes of Ye Olde Village with the carolers and the mistletoe
