Holiday Mashup: Christmukkah in NYC

An NYC mom of two on the NYMetroParents team explains how her mixed-faith family avoids holiday conflict by embracing the spirit of both Christmas and Hanukkah.

My husband and two children are Jewish; I am a church-going Christian. Rather than regard our family’s dual heritage as a holiday conflict, we take a ‘best of both worlds’ approach.

The variety of activities available in NYC during the six weeks from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day is unparalleled anywhere in the world, so why not?

We’ve joined the congregation at Rodeph Shalom on the first night of Hanukkah, then jumped in a cab and stood with the crowd at Brick Presbyterian Church for the annual Park Avenue Christmas tree lighting ceremony. It’s impossible not to catch the spirit of the season!

Pamela Millman, senior account manager for NYMetroParents, is a mother of two grown children who lives in the Midtown West section of Manhattan (she recently returned to NYC after a stint in Colorado Springs)

Also see: NYMetroParents’ Holiday Bazaar of Traditions, Memories, Insights, and Gifts

Polaris Productions Theater Camp

<p>Kids will learn, rehearse, and perform the wonderful Maurice Sendak and Carole King musical, Really Rosie. For 10 weekdays, campers will take part in physical and vocal warm-ups and learn choreography, staging, and vocal parts. They&rsquo;ll develop skills in acting, singing, character development, and more. This camp will ignite your child&rsquo;s imagination and passion for performing, build their self-esteem, and help them form lasting friendships. They&rsquo;ll have fun! At camp&rsquo;s end, the kids will perform Really Rosie for family members and friends. Kids of all levels of experience, ages 8 through 13, are welcome to join.</p>

British Swim School - Manhattan

<p>The premier learn-to-swim provider for people of all ages, offering programs for children ages 3-months through adults.&nbsp; British Swim School uses gentle teaching methods and a survival-first approach to help people of all experience levels become safer, stronger swimmers. British Swim School&rsquo;s safe, fun, and effective instructional program has made it the preferred choice for parents and students for over 40 years. Come see the British Swim School difference!</p>

Cucu's PlayHouse

<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">Interactive, live-streaming music and movement class in Spanish for babies, toddlers and preschoolers!<br />Join us every day from Monday through Saturday at 1:30 pm EST to sing, dance and play together while learning Spanish from your home.</div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">&nbsp;</div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">This class is part of a Spanish Immersion Program where your child will be introduced to basic concepts like the animals, colors, numbers and letters. All of these through the universal language of Music. Each session is fun, interactive and engaging.<br />A selection of Children Songs in Spanish guides the class from start to finish. Activities are related to the lyrics, in order to familiarize the children with the words and their meanings. Some of the songs encourage the children to dance. Nilda uses puppets, musical instruments, and props to teach children basic vocabulary through action and interaction, rather than through translation.</div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"><br />The classes are streamed on Zoom's webinar platform. Participants (children, parents, nannies) are able to join the video from their homes and interact with us in real-time, it is a fun and engaging experience.</div>