Please, please, can't it be time for Hanukkah yet?
As I’ve explained before, we’ve been working hard on creating a family Shabbat with our 2-year-old. (It’s pretty amazing what the kid learns from a little Tot Shabbat, a Kveller singalong, and some awesome books from PJ Library.)
Every Friday night, we light candles, drink some grape juice, and eat some challah. Abigail knows that when we light the candles we cover our eyes, and she knows the order of the blessings, and though she can’t say the words yet, she knows to say “AMEN!” at the end. She calls it Shabbat-time, which I think is so adorable I can’t stand it.
Last Friday, my husband was getting ready to leave for work and he said, “Abigail, tonight when I get home we’ll do Shabbat-time together.” With palpable excitement, she responded, “And dreidel and presents?” He explained, “No sweetie, that’s Hanukkah. Tonight is Shabbat. Hanukkah is in a few weeks.”
Abigail got really quiet. I figured everything was fine, until she burst into hysterical tears. You know the kind–huge drops of water rolling down her face, nose instantly running, the kind of loud screams that make the neighbors think you need an ambulance? This kid was so upset that it wasn’t Hanukkah yet. Of course, my husband and I thought it was the funniest thing ever. Eventually I got her to calm down by reading our latest PJ Library book, Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah.
Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah, you can’t come soon enough in our house.
Shabbat shalom!
