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Chanukah shopping fun – Game Giveaway

Posted on December 15, 2008 9:48 pm by TheAngelForever

Growing up Jewish in a predominantly Christian society can be tough on a child. For most of the fall months into December, most of world is dressed up and ready to celebrate Christmas.

As a child growing up in the 80’s, living in a moderate Jewish community, we had few items to really decorate for Chanukah. There was only a small store in our synagogue with some merchandise in it. As the years went by, more main stream stores started to carry a few Chanukah items here and there. They would all pretty much have the same few token tchotchkes. Plastic dreidels, cheap looking menorahs and some window clings were available.

In more recent years, people have started businesses online to help keep traditions alive, add modern touches and provide fun for Jewish families. One of these online stores is PopJudaica.com

Last year, post Chanukah, I found PopJudaica.com. I oogled at numerous items and thought about different family members to purchase things for.

The Plush Menorah would be perfect for the little guy. He would be able to safely light his own menorah along with us.

Plush Menorah

The Got Latkes? apron would be perfect for almost any of the women (or men – like my hubby) who prepare the tasty traditional Chanukah food.

NHL loves to wear his kippahs to Hebrew School. The Kroc Kippah would be a fun way for him to personalize it on his own.

Of course for my brother, a recreational poker player, the Poker Yarmulke would be a perfect choice.

Seriously if you are Jewish, know someone who is, or want to learn more about another religion PopJudaica.com is a wonderful source for goodies galore.

The Giveaway:

The founder of PopJudaica.com has offered my readers the opportunity to win their own No Limit Texas Dreidel Game. This game would be enjoyed by both kids and adults, so it would be fabulous for family game nights. It puts a modern spin on a traditional holiday game for everyone of all religions to enjoy.

Rules for Giveaway:

MAIN RULE – Leave a comment telling me three of your favorite items from PopJudaica.com
1 Bonus Entry – Subscribe to my RSS feed (or let me know if you already are) in a separate comment.
1Bonus Entry – Stumble this post and leave your Stumble name in a separate comment.
1 Bonus Entry – Favorite TheAngelForever in Technorati and leave your name there in a separate comment.
1 Bonus Entry – Follow me on Twitter (@TheAngelForever) and tweet once about my giveaway. Leave a link to your comment in a separate comment.
1 Bonus Entry – Add TheAngelForever to your blog roll and leave a separate comment.
3 Bonus Entries – Write a post on your blog linking to my blog about the giveaway. Be sure to leave 3 comments about this to get credit for all of your extra credit.

My Chanukah shopping fun game giveaway will run through Friday, December 19, with the winner being contacted over the weekend. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified by e-mail for address information. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me before another winner is chosen. Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only and will be shipped from PopJudaica with the hope (no promises) that it will arrive to enjoy during Chanukah.

Have fun and thanks for participating in my Chanukah!

Categories:
giveaway holidays Reviews shopping Web business

Our Festival of Lights

Posted on December 13, 2008 11:33 am by TheAngelForever

This week it is time to dig out our menorah, dreidels and get ready for the Festival of Lights.

01 - Chanukah 2007

Yes, Chanukah begins next Sunday at sundown. Chanukah is a holiday about a miracle that happened long ago. JL and I have been working really hard to try to show our boys the meaning of this miracle. We read lots of Chanukah books, sing songs, bake/make traditional goodies, and try to make it less about gifts. It may be hard to believe, but traditionally Chanukah was not a time for gift giving. Over time, it has gotten that way because of the proximity of the holiday with Christmas.

Each night for Chanukah, we light our menorah as a family and sit watching the candles burn bright while eating our dinner. A new tradition that we have started with our boys is to play Chanukah music during this time. Of course we love Adam Sandler’s Chanukah song, but a new favorite is Hanukkah Blessings by Barenaked Ladies. The song sends chills down my spine. It is absolutely beautiful and includes the blessings that we say over the candles each night. The songs have helped NHL, now five, learn the blessings.

How lucky are we that we
Have lights so that we can see
All though the day is done
What a miracle that a spark
Lifts these candles out of the dark
Every evening one by one
Until the end of Hanukkah
Of Hanukkah
With the jingle bells and the toys
And the TV shows and the noise
It’s easy to forget
At the end of the day
Our whole family will say
These words for Hanukkah:
Barukh Atah
ADONAI Elohaynu Melekh h’olom
asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu
l’hadlik nehr shel hannukah
We light the candles for Hanukkah
For Hanukkah

We remember how Maccabees
Fought so all of us could be free
So we celebrate
On this festival of the lights
There’s a joyful time every night
Where we illuminate
The candles of Hanukkah
Of Hanukkah
Barukh atah ADONAI
Elohaynu Melekh ha’olom
She’asah neesim l’avotaynu
bayamim hahem ba’zman hazeh
Hanukkah
Hanukkah

JL and I also love to share our traditions with NHL’s peers. In the past, we have gone in to celebrate with his classes. JL went to NHL’s daycare to play the dreidel game with them. Last year, I went to NHL’s Chanukah party at school.

This year, NHL’s kindergarten teacher asked me to come in next Wednesday to do something with the kids. I believe they are buying the materials to make potato latkes. We already bought each of the children their own dreidel. I plan on playing the game with them and doing some sort of craft.

Last year, we were lucky enough to celebrate part of Chanukah with our extended family. My parents had a Chanukah party during one of the nights. We had a wonderful time. JSL and Cousin S were celebrating their first Festival of Lights. My how the two of them have grown over the last year!

As you can see, we feel that it is very important to show the boys where our Jewish heritage is from and how to carry it on. We have been doing this since December 2003 when NHL celebrated his first Chanukah.

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It is our hope that our two boys will carry on these traditions for generations to come.

Categories:
family food glorious food holidays jl jsl looking back my boys nhl photos school yummy

Channeling his inner geek

Posted on December 3, 2008 8:32 am by TheAngelForever

Categories:
family holidays laughs nhl

Thanksgiving 2008 – Part Deux

Posted on December 2, 2008 10:26 am by TheAngelForever

Thanks to family time together, Thanksgiving was fabulous. The boys had a wonderful time playing. Did I mention that NHL loved JSL’s new music set?

Thank you Aunt A, the boys absolutely love everything! They actually have little squabbles over the drum sticks. We have had to go over that they are to only be used on the drum, not each other or the walls or various other objects within the house.

After resting for a little while, cleaning up and playing it was time to eat some yummy goodies. JL and I baked in the morning. I made mini fruit swirl cakes (thanks to my old neighbor Mrs. D for that amazing recipe) and JL made peanut butter cookies. JL also prepared two pomegranates as well. The pies were delicious and everyone felt the need to be healthy and have at least some fruit. The little guy enjoyed the fruit the most.

After eating JSL snuggled up with Mimi for some hugs and time on the steps. He did the same thing earlier in the evening with Aunt T.

Soon after this Cousin A brought down his new dog to meet the boys. JSL was curious and fine with her until she licked his face a little too much.

Once the dog was safely back upstairs the boys decided to do their own Thanksgiving Day Parade. For quite some time the two of them paraded around in circles after each other. They were so happy just chasing each other, singing and laughing.

After the boys were tired from running around it was time to pack them up and head home. JL had work the next day and the boys were fading quickly.

Thank you again to Aunt S and Uncle M for inviting us to their wonderful Thanksgiving feast. Being with family means so much.

Categories:
baking family food glorious food fun holidays jsl nhl photos play time yummy

Thanksgiving 2008 – Part 1

Posted on December 1, 2008 9:25 am by TheAngelForever

This year we went to Thanksgiving dinner at Aunt S and Uncle M’s house. As always everything was absolutely delicious. Along with the amazing feast, getting to spend time with our extended family was especially nice for all of us. My parents were there, four of my first cousins (A, J, B and Y), Uncle J, Cousin A, Aunt T, and my grandmother. . . including Cousin A’s girlfriend there were seventeen of us there. Here are some photos highlighting our Thanksgiving.

When we arrived Uncle J had brought some gifts for the boys. Aunt A (who was not with us) picked out some amazing learning toys for the boys. As you will see the music set was quite popular with both of the boys.