“Festive Fusion: Embracing the Magic of Chrismukkah!”

The Weiss-Pires household — Lynda, Lillian, and Bessie — relish baking Christmas and Hanukkah sweets during the festive season in their kitchen in Oakland, Calif.

Chloe Veltman/NPR

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Chloe Veltman/NPR

Lillian Weiss-Pires, age 8, expressed her affection for Christmas as it embraces a warm ambiance. She loves adorning the tree and unwrapping presents.

“I like envisioning Santa coming in and delivering the gifts,” she stated.

The third-grade student, residing with her two mothers in Oakland, Calif., also adores Hanukkah.

“ Hanukkah is when you can truly gather with loved ones and friends,” she mentioned. “Plus, you get to enjoy much more food, and I love eating!”

A holiday with European ancestry

The observance of both Jewish and Christian celebrations is commonly referred to as Chrismukkah. In 2024, Hanukkah commences at sundown on Christmas day, which occurs rather infrequently.

Chrismukkah traces its origins back to the 19th century — when German Jews, many of whom were becoming progressively integrated into mainstream German Christian culture — embraced Christmas customs in a secular manner. The celebration was initially termed Weihnukkah (“Weihnachten” translates to “Christmas” in German.)

“On one side, the integration was an indication of societal acceptance and economic and political incorporation,” journalist James Wald noted in a 2016 piece about the holiday for The Times of Israel. “Conversely, it resulted in a decrease in the Jewish demographic.”

In the United States, Chrismukkah has acquired cultural significance over the last few decades after being highlighted in a December 2003 episode of the TV show The O.C. One of the main characters, Seth Cohen, celebrated the holiday as a way to honor his mixed Jewish and Protestant inheritance. The O.C. went on to feature annual Chrismukkah episodes.

An Oakland Chrismukkah

With Christmas and Hanukkah occurring simultaneously this year, festive baking in the Weiss-Pires home is perhaps a bit more hectic than usual. Christmas-themed gingerbread adheres to the countertop, and the rugelach — a sweet Jewish holiday delicacy — accidentally goes into the oven without the cinnamon sugar topping.

“ Typically, you add it at the very beginning, but we can do this now while it’s sizzling a bit,” remarked Lynda Pires, one of Lillian’s mothers, as she sprinkles cinnamon sugar on the warm rugelach and then returns the treats to the oven to complete baking.

Coins, dreidels, a nine-branched menorah, and candles embellish the sideboard at the Weiss-Pires’ residence in Oakland, Calif.

Lynda Pires and Bessie Weiss

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Lynda Pires and Bessie Weiss

Combined holiday traditions are deeply rooted in this family. Pires mentioned that she was raised Catholic.

“There were crucifixes all over my home — thank you to my Brazilian father!” she exclaimed.

However, she grew up in New York City commemorating both the Birth of Jesus and the Festival of Lights.

“I enjoyed attending Hanukkah gatherings,” stated Pires. “My friend’s mother baked the most delicious chocolate cake.”

Lillian’s other parent, Bessie Weiss, practices Judaism. She mentioned that she has consistently marked Hanukkah.   

“ We would kindle the candles each evening, and some years there would be small gifts,” she recalled of how her family typically honored the holiday while growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Nonetheless, she remarked that she has also come to appreciate Christmas through the years.

“All the Jewish families in my parents’ neighborhood would go Christmas caroling!” she noted. 

Christmas decorations are integral to the family’s celebrations.
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Navigating the day

Currently, Christmas carols remain a vibrant part of this family’s festive customs, ranging from “Jingle Bells” to “Last Christmas.” (Lillian favors the Ariana Grande rendition most; her moms prefer George Michael.) They also relish singing Hanukkah tunes, like “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel.”

That said, the full-blown Chrismukkah festivities can sometimes become perplexing — particularly in a year like this when there’s no separation between the celebrations.

“Whenever I want to don something that’s festive, I generally choose what aligns with the nearest holiday,” Lillian explained regarding how she has managed her outfit choices during past holiday seasons. “However, I’m uncertain if I should go for Christmas or Hanukkah-themed now.”

Her mothers reassure her that Christmas and Hanukkah coinciding makes it simpler to blend and match.

“Alright, so, blue glittery trousers adorned with the emblem of Hanukkah,” Lillian imagined while envisioning the perfect Holiday 2024 ensemble. “And a Christmas sweater.”