Christmas and Eve

my roommate killed santa

countdown: six days

"But you were so happy yesterday!" protested Eve, rushing to keep up with her much taller roommate. Eve wasn't short, she was a perfect height, it was just that Marmie was easily six foot two, and almost always wore some form of heels.

"Yeah, that was yesterday," responded Marmie, not bothering to glance at her counterpart. "Today I don't want to hear any mention of Christmas."

"But-"

"None. Zip. Nada." Eve sighed. "It's Hanukkah, get into the Hanukkah mood instead."

"That's not a thing," complained Eve.

"Then make it one."

"That's not how this works."

"Too bad." Eve put on a burst of speed so she wouldn't fall behind her tall roommate.

"Marmie, look, I get where you're coming from, but can't I enjoy both? I mean-"Marmie took on another fast stride, leaving Eve behind for a moment and making her break into a jog to keep up. "I mean-" she repeated, slightly out of breath.

"Eve, just stop, okay? Look, I'm not talking about this anymore. Can't you just be a proud Jew for once, instead of celebrating some other holiday?"

"I am a proud Jew, Marmie. I just like the brought lights and happy feeling of Christmas- is that so bad?"

"It's just that everyone else celebrates Christmas. You can't just go along with everyone else, it's not even your religion."

"Marmie, calm down," started Eve.

"No, I'm not going to calm down. Eve, i'm done with you. No more, it's over." She turned on her heel, staring down her roommate with a cold, icy glare. "Don't come back to the dorm until you're done with your Christmas celebration."

"Marmie..." The taller girl didn't listen, she marched off in the direction  of her next class, leaving Eve alone in the cold green space.

Eve had grown up Jewish. Very Jewish. Christmas was completely outlawed in her house, including the commercials, songs, movies, and the decorations.

Eve had an interest in Christmas, however. Good feelings, pretty decorations, and an all around happy air was everything she could've imagined in a perfect holiday. She loved the idea of Christmas (not so much with the story).

When Eve to college, all she could think about was finally being herself-and being allowed the good feelings of Christmas.

Marmie was not going to ruin that.

Around six at night, Eve stomped back into her room. Marilyn, already working at her desk, paid no attention to her roommate.

Eve took advantage of this, and began to rehang the fairy lights around the room. By the time Marmie finally noticed, Eve had the old decorations already set up.

"I swear to god Eve-"

"Look, it's just pretty lights and stuff, okay? Nothing Christmas related. Just stuff to brighten up the room!" Eve cut off her roommate quickly, gesturing to the decorations around the room. "For good feelings and stuff."

"You are the worst."

"But there's nothing wrong with livening up our room a bit, is there?" Marmie didn't answer, only heaving a sigh and slumping back into her swiveling chair. "Even you can't argue with that," said Eve, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm going to run Santa over with my car," mumbled Marmie.

"That's not in the-" Marmie shot Eve a death glare, shutting her roommate up quickly. "Fine. Lights for good mood, okay?" Marilyn didn't answer, she simply let out an incoherent grunt in response, and went back to her work.

Several minutes later, she yelled, "Hanukkah!" and jumped out of her chair in a frenzy, grabbing the menorahs off the windowsill. "It's the first night of Hanukkah! I can't believe I almost forgot!" Eve had forgotten as well, she hadn't bought Marmie a gift yet.

"Right, right!" The two joined together in the middle of the dorm, lighting the candles and saying the blessings over them just as they had remembered doing for years and years. Eve felt a strange sort of comfort in the blessings she knew by heart, even in another language.

Hanukkah had always made her happy, even without the glitz and glamour Christmas had. It was like a warm fire she could always come back to, or an old friend she had almost forgotten existed.

"I like Hanukkah," said Eve finally, setting the lit menorahs back on the windowsill.

"Mhm."

"It's a good holiday."

"That's nice."

"Tomorrow I'll bring home donuts for us, okay? For Hanukkah."

"Alright." Marmie wasn't paying much attention, rooting through her own desk drawers.

"What're you look for, Marmie?" asked Eve.

"Aha! Here," Marmie held out another old Jewish tradition, a little dreidel, just like the ones they used to play at home. "Bet for candy?"

"It wouldn't be the same without that!" responded Eve, clearing away old clothes on the floor to play with the dreidel.

For the first time that month, her mind wasn't on Christmas.

And she loved it.

*****

Jewish dictionary:

menorah- branched out candle holder with candle spots for eight nights of Hanukkah (eight candles)

dreidel- a spinning top with Hebrew letters on the sides, for a betting(ish) game of dreidel played on Hanukkah

latkas- potato pancakes

Hanukkah blessings- one said over candles, one said for the holiday; both sung in hebrew