Santa isn’t Jewish

Santa Claus isn’t Jewish.

That was my daughter the other day, explaining to her friend why, though she believes in Santa, he isn’t coming to our house this, or any other, year.

Well, can’t say she’s wrong, can I?

I was relieved to hear her give her friend such a casual explanation, because I’ve been wondering how my kids feel about the fact that Santa doesn’t come to visit us.  Even in New York, which feels like a Jewish town, it can make you feel a bit left out.

There have been quite a lot of posts floating around lately about how the spirit of Christmas has been watered down by the whole Happy Holidays phenomenon.  Say again?

Since Thanksgiving – hell, since Halloween!!!, every store, every streetlamp, every …everything, it seems, has been festooned with Christmas paraphernalia.  And the music.  Endless loops of Frosty the Snow Man, and Baby it’s Cold Outside.  Not that I’m complaining. (Well, maybe about the music) I realize that Jews make up less than 1.8% of the US Population and I don’t remotely expect equal time. In fact, I kind of like the decorations — they’re festive and twinkly, and make even the dingy bodega on the corner look sparkly and happy.  It’s just that I don’t buy that people who do celebrate Christmas are somehow being pushed out of the mainstream.