Sparkler Snapshots

XXXV | The Menorah on the Mantel

"On Hanukkah, the first dark night, light yourself a candle bright. I'll you, if you will me invite, to dance within that gentle light." – Nicholas Gordon

Date:
December 12th to December 20th, 2017

Occasion: Hanukkah

Observed By: Jews

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XXXV | The Menorah on the Mantel

December 12th, 10:00 am

Dear Minnie,

First off, how are you? How was your flight back to Minneapolis? I hope your winter break is going okay. I know you're busy preparing for Christmas, but you asked me to send letters while I'm visiting my family during Hanukkah, so I thought I'd deliver.

I won't be able to write letters for all eight days, since mom keeps nagging me to engage with the celebrations, but I'll write three. One for the beginning, middle, and end.

I know you love that structure. You never read books that end on cliffhangers. I was in your dorm when you were reading The Handmaid's Tale and you threw the book across the room when you finished it. That was one of the scariest experiences of my life.

Also, it costs way too much to send handwritten letters these days, but dumping all this sentimental stuff in a text feels wrong. So, three letters it is. Fairly reasonable prices, and coincides with your old school, romantic style of communication.

Hanukkah preparations have been hectic over the past few days. You know the menorah? The candle holder with nine branches? My brother broke our old one, so I had to run out and grab a new one. Those candles are super important, so mom was practically ripping her hair out.

Speaking of the menorah, we're lighting the first candle tonight. You said you researched Hanukkah, and you're a human encyclopedia, so I'm sure you know all about it, but we light one candle each day after sunset. I mean, this is the Jewish festival of lights, so candles are essential. I just hope no one accidentally sets the curtains on fire this year.

I'm also helping mom out in the kitchen, so if you have any cooking tips, give me a call, because I have no idea what I'm doing. Since Hanukkah is an oil-based celebration, what with the candle wax and all, eating oil-fried foods is a must. When I first heard about that, I almost cried. I mean, being encouraged to eat jam doughnuts for eight days straight? Straight up heaven.

Since you love everything to do with spuds, could you send me a great potato pancake recipe? And yes, I know, potato pancakes sound super weird, but they taste amazing and it's a tradition to eat them. We even have a Hebrew word for them, latkes.

You could even make some yourself and let me know what you think. I still remember those heavenly rosemary potatoes you made last summer. I mean, to be fair, you had to make them three times over to get them perfect, and you made me book your manicure while you cooked, but those roast potatoes made everything worth it.

Also, twenty dollars to paint a couple of nails? Totally not worth it.

Anywho, nothing much has happened so far. Hanukkah is a huge phenomenon in North America because it gets lumped in with Christmas, but for us Jews, it's fairly minor. No public holidays, no one sneaking into our house in the dead of night and drinking our milk and cookies. No sleighs, nor carols, and I would pay to see a Hanukkah reindeer.