In America the month leading up to Christmas tends to be an over the top celebration of all things Christmas and Christmas adjacent from the decorated stores with their Santas through parades and school pageants to homes illuminated with colored lights with Santas and reindeer parked out front. It can be very easy, even with token acknowledgements of Hanukkah, for kids from other faith traditions to feel left out. In The House Without Lights Reem Faruki addresses this issue through a most unusual narrator.
The only unlit house in a neighborhood longs for the seasonal accouterments of its neighbors: the beautiful Christmas trees, the stockings hung by the chimney with care, and the cards filled mailboxes. The night before Christmas it hopes that its new family, now settled in, will finally get around to decorate...
...Nope, not gonna happen. But in a few months House will get its chance to shine in the celebration of Eid.
The House Without Lights is a great introduction to diversity and inclusion in religious holiday celebrations.
On a purrrsonal note, well my Friday was totally AWESOME!!! Bailey gave me a ride to campus which let me bring a lot of presents in to give out. Bailey surprised me with a gift from her and Cam--an adorable teddy 🧸 wearing a Santa 🎅 hat. At First Friday Bagels I got my favorite sweet cinnamon. I gave out more gifts 🎁 which people were happy to get. Bailey had a sip and sculpt with air dry clay. I took pictures and made Christmas ornaments. I gave away 2 and kept one for my tree. Bailey gave me a ride home where I found Eugene safely back from camp.
A great big shout out goes out to Bailey for giving me rides in inclement weather and creating engaging crafts events and saving returnables for Tobago's emergency surgery fund and being a caring and true friend.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
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