By Sydney Altschuler ’12, Staff Writer

‘Tis the season—the holiday season, of course!  With Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas all occurring in November and December, this is a time for pep and cheer.  We can always count on good food, family, and gifts to create holiday spirit, but this season, holiday trends are moving in a more modern direction at a fast pace. Beginning with Thanksgiving, which seems to have just come and gone, tradition seems to be unraveling.  The typical Thanksgiving dinner—home-cooked Turkey with relatives—is being replaced by some with more adventurous atypical dinners.  People are going to Asian, Italian, and American restaurants—you name it.  Five years ago, those who skipped out on turkey at home would be gawked at; they are now “with-it.”

On to Christmas and Hanukkah!  The phrase “Christmukkah,” coined in WB’s OC, has never been more perfect.  The blend of the two holidays can be seen in the “Hanukkah bush.”  While lighting the menorah for eight straight days in a row is barrels of fun (I would know), to many it never quite measures up to the experience of decorating a Christmas tree.  Whether it be picking out the absolutely perfect tree from the lot or accessorizing the tree with luminescent bulbs and brilliant greens and reds, from an outsider’s perspective, the whole experience seems serene and almost fictitious in its glowy perfection.  Currently, some Jewish people are saying “what about us?”  Jews thus have compensated by creating the Hanukkah bush, a replica of the Christmas tree, except dressed in stars of David, royal blues, and pearly whites.

To go along with this trend of overlapping traditions among religions, currently holiday cards are becoming a universal custom.  Once a Christian-only tradition, holiday cards are now being exchanged between many different religions.  “Merry Christmas,” is now being replaced by some with “Season’s Greetings” to make the tradition anyone’s fun.

Last but not least in this years holiday trends, Secret Santa is all the rage.  Again, what used to be solely a Christian tradition is now enjoyed by all.  Get a big group of friends, family, or co-workers and assign each participant a different person for whom they will purchase a gift.  The whole process is anonymous, so scheming and guessing always abound before gifts are exchanged.  Once the ribbons are torn and the wrapping paper pealed off, each gift is displayed, as is the identity of the gift giver. Secret Santa is a great way to boost holiday spirit, and for those who never seem so spellbound with the holidays, being knee-deep in gifts never fails to encourage merry-making and sing-songing on a snowy evening.

While these new holiday trends are modern and inventive, for the super traditional holiday enthusiast who I have just shocked to tears, let me calm you down.  You can still do all of the traditional customs that make you feel hearty and high in holiday spirit. It is certainly easy enough to embrace these new trends while also still holding dear the old ways of celebration. Feel free to eat the turkey dinner at home with family with no pause until feeling a stuffed paralysis at the point of nausea.  Enjoy ice-skating at Wollman Rink in Central Park on a crisp and snowy evening, kiss your love under the mistletoe, or construct a festive gingerbread house of gumdrops galore. Spin the dreidel round and round, as your mouth waters from the rich chocolate gelt you have just binged on.  Remember what they say, “Make new traditions but keep the old, one is silver and the other’s gold.”