How to celebrate Chanukah?
I’ll admit it: Chanukah is a holiday I’ve approached with diminishing enthusiasm over the years. I’m not into latkes; I prefer egg rolls. Dreidel’s not nearly as fun as Scrabble. And as the holiday approaches, so, too, does our loaded debate: Are we giving gifts this year or what? It wasn’t always this way. Growing up in a non-observant-but-you-have-to-go-to-Sunday-school household, Chanukah was a pretty awesome holiday that was on par with — scratch that, better than — Christmas. I remember the excitement building in the air as my mom hung a “Happy Chanukah” banner in the window next to the blue “helping hand” sign that signified that crazy people did not live within. (Anyone remember those?) We lit the menorah every night. The extended family would have a party at my grandparents’ place. And then there were the presents: 16 blue-wrapped boxes, divided into two piles — eight gifts for me, eight for my sister, Amy. Every night we made an exciting choice: Which gift should we open tonig
