Just call me the Chanukah Grinch

[lavendersparkle]

I disapprove of Chanukah presents. Part of this is that the presents are my least favourite part of Christmas. I'm not very good at buying presents. I don't enjoy spending December traipsing around overcrowded shops buying stuff which I know in my heart of hearts probably aren't what the people I'm buying for will want. Then there's the awkwardness of opening the gifts we've all got for each other and trying to hide our disappointment and sometimes outright confusion at each others' gift choices. I don't want all of that imported into my own religion.

I've found someone else on the internet who shares my dislike of Chanukah presents and states it rather bluntly in The case for Jews giving Christmas presents:

Do I give "Hanukkah presents?" Of course not! Why? Because "Hanukkah presents" are an ignorant, spineless evil practice, as I will discuss below....

Picture this: You are a Jewish mom, it is the end of December, your child's friends get presents, and you don't want to be a meany. But you can't give a Christmas Present! What would your grandmother say? So you give a "Hanukkah Present," rationalizing it to yourself. Shame! You're too weak not to give presents, and you're too gutless to admit that you're doing it because the Christians are doing it. How can anybody be this way and have self-respect? As I said earlier, I give Christmas presents. I am secure enough to admit to myself and others that I am bending to my society, and taking on a Christian tradition. I know people who don't (for one reason or another) participate in end of year gift-giving at all. That takes a different kind of strength, and I respect that. But to give Christmas presents, pathetically calling them "Hanukkah Presents" reminds me of a sniveling sidekick in a bad adventure movie. Grow up.