Home › Forums › Decaffeinated Coffee › Opinions please… Chanukah decorations in a lobby
- This topic has 14 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 11 months ago by mommamia22.
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December 25, 2011 5:39 am at 5:39 am #601281mommamia22Participant
We live in a building with both Jews and Non-Jews and as such, have gotten used to seeing holiday decorations around this time. However, ever since a new super took over who’s family is totally into the holiday, there’s hardly a corner of the lobby where one can look without seeing beyond loads of chrastmacht decorations. Even more so, my little one has started running up to the tree to marvel at it (instead of the menorah that’s practically hidden nearby. I feel so compelled to go over the top and decorate in equal amount, just to sway my kids eyes, but this seems so wrong. I’m questioning if it comes from a pure place to want to decorate that way, and if it’s even a “Jewish” concept. I don’t want to behave like I’m comparing myself to them, but every time I see this lobby it nauseates me how imbalanced it looks and it’s imact on my kids.
December 25, 2011 3:47 pm at 3:47 pm #838295apushatayidParticipantWhen we lived in a building, we felt that the lobby was a shared space belonging to all tennants, not the super or landlord. As such, we didn’t like it that “our” lobby was decorated for their holiday and we decorated “our” lobby for our holiday as well. The tennants were split about 50/50 between those who celebrated chanukah and those who celebrated christmas.
December 25, 2011 4:20 pm at 4:20 pm #838296aries2756ParticipantYou can either speak to him politely and explain that there are people of both cultures living in the building and that the lobby is usually decorated to reflect that. Or you can speak to the landlord.
December 25, 2011 9:13 pm at 9:13 pm #838297Bar ShattyaMembercry cry cry but dont say anything or do anything to your kids.
I dont recall having ever heard of anyone going off the derech to go to the christianity, have you? A normal frum kid will be just fine but restricting your kids is a recipe for disaster. I know you dont care about them, but you care what your friends will say when your kids are otd. so leave them alone; they’ll be fine and you’ll be happy.
December 25, 2011 9:15 pm at 9:15 pm #838298A Sheep without a SpleenMemberThe damage you did to yor chldren with spending the 3 minutes writing that post instead of spending time with them is worse than three hours they could spend with a missionary
December 25, 2011 10:27 pm at 10:27 pm #838299Bar ShattyaMemberI kind of marvel at myself. I had such a productive post but felt the need to stick in something hurtful, true as it is on some subconscious level.
December 25, 2011 10:46 pm at 10:46 pm #838300elkaParticipantA Jew and a good parent asked a sincere question; so I don’t know why people feel the need to answer in a fresh and sarcastic manner!
Chanukah decorations are not really an answer to Xmas decorations, since that is not part of our celebration. I would let the kid look; don’t make a big deal about it. And explain that Chanukah is about lighting a menorah and singing the brachas and Maoz tzur, and eating latkes and playing with a draidel and explain the reasons behind our traditions. Decorations is not a part of Chanukah. And explain that we are living in golus with many more goyim and therefore we see their many decorations.
Have a happy Chanukah and Yiddisher nachas from your child(ren)!
December 26, 2011 12:07 am at 12:07 am #838301MenoraMemberTell your children that the goyish holiday decorations are soaking in thousands of years of Jewish blood they spilled l’kovod this holiday.
December 26, 2011 12:23 am at 12:23 am #838302Bar ShattyaMembera good jew said something fresh and hurtful and I dont know why people assume its sarcastic.
December 26, 2011 12:38 am at 12:38 am #838303OneOfManyParticipantI grew up in a neighborhood with lots of decorated lawns. My siblings and I would have contests to see who could find the coolest lawn. Our parents never made a big deal about it. B”H, none of us have converted to Christianity. 🙂
December 26, 2011 12:42 am at 12:42 am #838304Bar ShattyaMemberIncidentally I felt more at liberty to speak blutly b/c the OP asked for opinions.
December 26, 2011 2:05 am at 2:05 am #838305mommamia22ParticipantTo those of you who answered me sincerely, I appreciate the time you took to respond and to help.
To those of you who felt the need to shtuch…. Kol hakavod.
A sheep without a spleen… I suppose you think I should wake them up in the middle of the night to spend time with them?
Mods….. How could you let a post like that go through?
Sorry.
December 26, 2011 2:14 am at 2:14 am #838306Bar ShattyaMembershtuch or not shtuch, am i right with my statistics? (leaving my additude out of it)
December 26, 2011 2:17 am at 2:17 am #838307A Sheep without a SpleenMemberA sheep without a spleen… I suppose you think I should wake them up in the middle of the night to spend time with them
That wasn’t the intended insult, the intended insult was that christianity just isn’t where it’s at.
(On a side note, at 5 PM EST… are you from israel? And if you are why are up at 4 in the morning?)
December 26, 2011 12:33 pm at 12:33 pm #838308mommamia22ParticipantLet me get back to the topic at hand.
Apparently, the super’s family hung their decorations in the lobby (or so it appears, given the quantity).
Upon whom should the responsibility fall to purchase the decorations?
My husband objected to us spending our hard earned money on decorations for the lobby and suggested either the management company or the super provide them.
I think the responsibility falls on those that want the decorations. What do you think??
I understand that a child would not go OTD just because they see lots of chrastmacht decorations.
So, what should I say to my children when they run up to look at the beauty of the tree, etc.?
I usually say “Oh, look at the menorah! How many candles are there?” Should I just ignore their attention to the tree and decorations??
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