Friday, December 22, 2006
HanuChristmas: Change of Guards
Last evening, we went to JaneyP's for a nice homey candle-lighting.
It was a very unique experience: they are actually Christian, but like to interlace other traditions into their lives.
I tried to not comment too much on the artistic freedom they took in the how-to domain... I think the JohnnyB was more bothered than I was, which I found highly amusing.
The candles-lighting was accompanied by a feast of wonderful latkes (by JaneyP), incredible garlicky Caesar salad (by JohnnyP), and Sufganyot for dessert - by yours truly.
(OK now... Sufganyot are the ultimate traditional Hanukka food. They are similar to doughnuts, but quite different in flavor and much lighter, which is very deceiving).
It was the very first time I made them, as far as I recall, and they turned out almost like the ones my mom used to make. (I said almost!).
Between the latkes and the Sufganyot, all healthily deep-fried, there must have been at least a bottle of Canola oil.... and yet, we all ate like there is no tomorrow.
Apparently, there was a tomorrow - and it started really, really bad.
I woke at dawn and spent some lovely quality time throwing up everything I ever ate since I was three years old.
But, since I am not into barf-blogging, I shan't expand on the subject, and we'll just leave it at that.
Tonight, we kindled the candles (the wonders of English language: why do you kindle with a K candles with a C?) for the very last time until next year, and they posed nicely next to the Christmas tree.
Quite a cool coincidence that
the solstice this year parallels the changing of guards from Hanukka to
Christmas.
From now on, the tree shall lighten the cold nights.
No, it has no name yet. We only got one suggestion so far, and neither of us can figure it out (Dre?????).
In our distress, we decided that TexieD's kids might find the perfect name, so on Christmas eve dinner, they can open their gifts only after they name the tree.
"Unfair!", you say?
Well, tough.
Desperation calls for extreme measurements.
A very peculiar thing happened shortly after the candle-lighting:
I've been celebrating Hanukka for over 40 years now (yeah, time flies when you are having fun), and I have never, ever, in my entire life, seen this kind of waxy avalanche in Hanukka candles.
And The JohnnyB had such an innocent look, that - though it was easy to point at him as the usual suspect - I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, and ascribe this phenomena to, well... I dunno!
Took me a whole minute before I realized the great photographic potential behind the tragedy and went into action, discovering LumiB's incredible ability to take pictures in macro mode, in the dark, no flash, no tripod.
Purist, that's what I am!
Oh, as for the creative shapes of the flames, well.... they might have resulted from my huffing and puffing, like, on the candles... while paparazzying them... perhaps... just a bit...
Hey, anything for the sake of art, yeah?
It's going to be pure joy to clean up this Hanukkia* tomorrow...
* Hanukkia is the proper name for the Menora you light on Hanukka.
Don't ever say you don't get educated on this blog...
Labels: Holidays
# posted by Nava @ 10:10 PM 
Comments:
Our hanukkiya had a similar phenomenon - the middle candle is the first to burn out, when there are many candles and only a small gap between them. Obviously, it gets heated more than the rest; and the two candles near it share a similar fate.
# posted by 
: 12/23/2006 12:02 AM
I knew some wise guy will come up with a well-engineered scientific explanation, and totally ruin the romanticism.
I just knew it!
The good news is that at leas the JohnnyB did not provide an explanation.
I guess he was too busy looking innocent...
I loves to be edumaficated on blogs!
But I'm So Sorry to hear ya lost yer latkes. Hope you're feeling much better by now, Nava.
Oh yah: Dre maybe shoulda been Dra. Either way, sounds like dray. Hope that makes sense now.
Those are some wonderful photos, btw. You're really very good at that, eh.
:) L8
OK now, MB...
...now you have both me and The JohnnyB digging into aall the languages we know (almost 6, between the two of us), and scratching our heads in utter confusion...
HUH???
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# posted by : 12/23/2006 12:02 AM
: 12/23/2006 12:02 AM I just knew it!
The good news is that at leas the JohnnyB did not provide an explanation.
I guess he was too busy looking innocent...
But I'm So Sorry to hear ya lost yer latkes. Hope you're feeling much better by now, Nava.
Oh yah: Dre maybe shoulda been Dra. Either way, sounds like dray. Hope that makes sense now.
Those are some wonderful photos, btw. You're really very good at that, eh.
:) L8
...now you have both me and The JohnnyB digging into aall the languages we know (almost 6, between the two of us), and scratching our heads in utter confusion...
HUH???
