Does a Hallowed Secularist Send Chanukah Gifts?
12/20/2009—This blog is primarily dedicated to the actual way-of-life changes that occur when a person ceases to be a member of the organized religions. The Christmas season presents an obvious issue because Christmas is completely intrusive and beautifully attractive. The whole culture gives presents. And who would not want to be part of the Hallmark family moments that are portrayed? This same kind of question confronts minority religious believers, of course, and I don’t know how they handle it. Judaism, for example, ingeniously answered this problem years ago, at least in America, by elevating a minor holiday, Chanukah, to Christmas-like significance. Chanukah is not a holiday that anyone would know about if it were not for Christmas. Jews would not celebrate it anymore than they celebrate Purim now. Many cultures celebrate the winter solstice. The timing of Christmas itself is probably the result of just such cultural borrowing. And many involve lights. That is partly why Christma
