Hanukkah
Happy Holidays from My Home to Yours!
Have a lovely holiday weekend, however and whichever way you’re spending it. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Festivus, and Happy Newtonmas!
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Holiday Spirituality
Festive Tasks Master Update Post HERE Task 1: Are there any places or events that are particularly spiritually meaningful to you this time of year? Share a picture or description with us. There are, and it’s put a damper on my Christmas not to be able to go there this and last year. Neither my […]
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Agatha Christie: Murder on the Links
24 Festive Tasks: Door 19 – Hanukkah, Book: Read a book about light, miracles, featuring Jewish characters, set in Israel, that is the second book in a series, with the word “two” in the title, or with a light on the cover. I’m using Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Links, which I revisited yesterday […]
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Looking Ahead to 2021
Since I posted my 2020 Year in Review post yesterday, I figured I might as well go ahead and follow up with the preview post for next year — again, taking the relevant “Festive Tasks” items as my cues. So, without further ado: 24 Festive Tasks: Door 19 – Hanukkah, Task 1: Time to […]
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Reading by Flashlight … with Feline Accompaniment
24 Festive Tasks: Door 19 – Hanukkah, Task 2: Read by flashlight or candlelight. Post a picture. Reading by flashlight was the plan for last night — but I had barely gotten comfortable with Paul Doherty’s first Friar Athelstan mystery … … when Charlie showed up, sat down on my book and made it clear […]
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Latkes: the Chinese Sweet Water Chestnut Version
24 Festive Tasks: Door 18 – Hanukkah, Task 2: Latkes or donuts are fried in oil to remind Jews of the oil that lasted for eight days: Fry yourself up some latkes or donuts. Share your recipe with us if they came out tasty. My BFF (Gaby) and I had our traditional post-Christmas gift […]
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Reading by Flashlight
24 Festive Tasks: Door 19 – Hanukkah, Task 3: Read a book by candle light (or flashlight). Nighttime flashlight reading with complimentary cat. Though if the eyes fail, there’s always the audiobook version … (and to the cat, it doesn’t make one iota of a difference!). Original post: ThemisAthena.booklikes.com/post/2011104/24-festive-tasks-door-18-hanukkah-task-3
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24 Festive Tasks: Door 18 – Hanukkah
Door 18: Hanukkah Task 1: Spin the dreidel to determine which book is going to be the first one you’ll be reading in the new year. Find a virtual dreidel here: https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/make-a-dreidel http://www.jewfaq.org/dreidel/play.htm http://www.torahtots.com/holidays/chanuka/dreidel.htm Task 2: Latkes or donuts are fried in oil to remind Jews of the oil that lasted for eight days: […]
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Nicholas Blake: Thou Shell of Death
24 Festive Tasks: Door 18 – Hanukkah, Book: Read a book about light, miracles, featuring Jewish characters, set in Israel, that is the second book in a series, with the word “two” in the title, or with a light on the cover. This is a Christmas book, but I’ll be reading plenty more of […]
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24 Festive Tasks: The Eight Final Holidays
The calendar’s eight final holidays and associated book tasks are: Door 17: Dec. 21 – Winter Solstice (Yule / Yaldā Night / Dongzhi / Soyal) Book: Read a book that takes place in December, with ice or snow on the cover, where all events take place in a single day or night, that revolves […]
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A Miracle? Maybe.
24 Festive Tasks: Door 14 – Hanukkah, Task 1: Have you had any miracles in your life? (Kids are a given.) Just enough change for tolls? Just enough gas to get you to the station? Been tragically late for a flight only to find the flight was even more tragically delayed? Nothing is too small […]
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Nine Candles
24 Festive Tasks: Door 14 – Hanukkah, Task 2: Light 9 candles each representing something you’re thankful for (share a picture with us; sharing anything else is optional). Some of the things for which I am grateful this holiday season: My mom and the fact that, at age 80 (just this year) she is […]
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Donuts for Hanukkah
24 Festive Tasks: Door 14 – Hanukkah, Task 3: Have a donut – and let us share it via a photo. Homemade donuts and shared recipes encouraged … but any donut will do just fine. … and of course, I needed to reward myself for braving the Friday-before-Christmas crowds. So I decided to take home […]
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Michael Connelly: Two Kinds of Truth
24 Festive Tasks: Door 14 – Hanukkah, Book: Read a book about light, miracles, characters who are Jewish or books set in Israel. OR: Hanukkah commemorates the re-dedication of the second temple in the second century; read the second book in a series or a book with the word “second” or “two” in the title. […]
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16 Tasks of the Festive Season: Final Tally
The Markers: Stack of Books: Books read Red Bows and Ribbons: Other Tasks completed Joker cards used: The Squares, Books and Other Tasks: Square 1: November 1st: All Saints Day / Día de los Muertos & Calan Gaeaf Book themes for Día de Muertos and All Saint’s Day: A book that […]
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C.H.B. Kitchin: Crime at Christmas
16 Tasks of the Festive Season: Square 8 – Hanukkah Murder on Hampstead Heath Book themes for Hanukkah: Any book whose main character is Jewish, any story about the Jewish people –OR– where the miracle of light plays a significant part in the story’s plot. Well, “miracle” is putting it a bit strongly, maybe, but […]
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16 Tasks of the Festive Season: Eighth Square – Hanukkah and Las Posadas
Hanukkah (December 12th – 20th) Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid (Macedonian Greek) Empire (167 to 160 BC). Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according […]
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16 Tasks of the Festive Season: Updates / Blackout
I’ve yet to read at least one book for some of the squares, but I’ve completed a minimum of either one book or one task for all of the squares, and in several cases, more. The Markers: Stack of Books: Books read Red Bows and Ribbons: Other Tasks completed […]
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The Dreidel Pick
16 Tasks of the Festive Season: Square 8 – Hanukkah – and Square 3 – St. Martin’s Day Tasks for Hanukkah: Light nine candles around the room (SAFELY) and post a picture. –OR– Play the Dreidel game to pick the next book you read. Assign a book from your TBR to each of the four […]
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16 Tasks of the Festive Season: Updates
I’ll be tracking my completed books, tasks, and points comprehensively here. The Markers: Stack of Books: Books read Red Bows and Ribbons: Other Tasks completed The Squares, Books and Other Tasks: Square 1: November 1st: All Saints Day / Día de los Muertos & Calan Gaeaf Book themes for Día de Muertos and […]
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