tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21112957.post6537133257192482058..comments2023-09-23T02:16:11.746-06:00Comments on Thoughts from a Foster Family: Different perspectives on foster care and ChristmasYondallahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10375966725096729570noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21112957.post-8313601706622926192006-10-05T09:57:00.000-06:002006-10-05T09:57:00.000-06:00very good post.
nothing in this situation is cle...very good post. <br /><br />nothing in this situation is clear cut but if lead by hearts and heads, things should work out.<br /><br />I go overboard on all holidays with our daughter we adopted from foster care but she is more religious than us and at times I wonder if I'm doing a good enough job on that part.Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11733376965247713530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21112957.post-4827786377030012212006-10-04T21:52:00.000-06:002006-10-04T21:52:00.000-06:00This is one I struggle with too. And while I thin...This is one I struggle with too. And while I think you've hit the nail on the head with part of this, I'm not sure I'm completely convinced. I do realize that Christmas is a cultural rather than religious holiday for most kids. However, the fact is that it is THE holidy for most kids in the US, Christian or not, and most of their friends will be celebrating it.<br /><br />I grew up in a secular Jewish family that nonetheless refused to do the "Chanukah Bush"/double holiday thing. Even though I loved our holiday and was proud of being 'different', I was still very much aware of all of the Christmas chaos around me that I wasn't able to partcipate in. As a happy child with a healthy family, I found that relatively easy to deal with. But to a child who has spent much of their life being deprived of things, I could imagine that seeming like just one more thing they couldn't do that their friends could. Being different is probably not as appealing when you're so different in other ways.<br /><br />Another key point here is that Christmas and Chanukah are not equivalent holidays. Most non-traditional Jews have given in on the present thing because it's almost impossible not to, but that's has nothing to do with Chanukah. There are some Chanukah songs and food, but nothing like what there is for Christmas, and besides the candles there's not usually much in the way of decorations. Chanukah is actually a fairly minor holiday, and when people try to build it up like Christmas it always seems stretched a little thin. Of course we have other fun holidays at other times of the year, but most kids aren't good at delayed gratification :)<br /><br />Anyway, I'm babbling. I think it's a tough topic and I'm interested to hear how others have/are handling it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21112957.post-42241967451367047272006-10-04T10:46:00.000-06:002006-10-04T10:46:00.000-06:00I am not a weepy person, but when I reached your s...I am not a weepy person, but when I reached your second to last paragraph, the tears sprung up. Something about having a practicing Christian acknowlege a bunch of the things that this Jew hasn't really been able to put into words.<br />Thanks,Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21112957.post-46320603295822857712006-10-04T10:33:00.000-06:002006-10-04T10:33:00.000-06:00All I can say was that was beautifully put.All I can say was that was beautifully put.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com