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Unique
HolidayTraditions
GSWEET MEMORIES CRACKING A SECRET CODE
rowing up in New York City in the 1940s, celebrating the Festival of
Lights with friends and other families in our synagogue was a joyous When my daughters were young and all the presents
time. Our menorah candles were lit each of eight nights to remind were out under the tree, they (of course) wanted to
us of the miracle that occurred more than 2,000 years ago. The Second Temple know what was in their packages long before Christ-
in Jerusalem had been desecrated by war, but the Maccabee brothers found a mas arrived. I began a tradition of not marking the
scant bit of oil that kept the menorah alight for eight days, re-sanctifying the packages with their names – rather, I labeled each
temple. My mother would fry delicious, crisp latkes in oil, topping them with present with a secret code. For example, one year the
sweet applesauce. We dressed up each night and I even dressed up my cat and codes were S1ULE, L1DKH and L2UEE. Give up?
put perfume on him, which my dad never let me forget. The children sang songs -- 1st letter of current school, 1st digit of birthdate
and played the dreidel game, winning chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil. day, upstairs or downstairs bedroom, middle name
Each child also received one small gift each night as a token of remembrance. initial, first letter of city where born. To this day,
In 2008 I married Tony, who would tell me the Christmas story, while I would they still want to “crack the code.” Now have fun
tell him the Hanukkah story. Our home contains decorations for both holidays. making up your own codes!
My son used to decorate the Christmas tree with his Dungeons and Dragons
figurines. Sweet, positive memories are evoked while writing this, and I hope Jan Crutchfield
it reminds you of your childhood.
Lynn Rose Cerveny
OHAWAII OR BUST
ur family tradition for the holidays is cel-
ebrating with a trip to Mexico or Hawaii.
The trip is the gift to my son and his wife.
They in turn give me the gift of spending their pre-
cious few days off from work with us. No other gifts,
no stress of shopping or wondering, “does it fit?” No
one is cooking or cleaning or babysitting. This gift
last many lifetimes with memories worth more than
words can say.
Delyce Ruyle and Phil Brubaker
50 | SUNRAYS DECEMBER 2016 ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG
