Narrator: Two friends, Greg and Charlie, meet in a park on a Saturday afternoon. Greg with a basketball.
Greg: Hello, Charlie! Want to shoot some hoops?
Charlie: I had expected, Greg, but the court now seems crowded. How about a
walk, first?
Greg: Okay.
Narrator: The two boys begin to
walk and Greg dribbles the ball as they go.
Greg: Your family is getting ready for Christmas yet?
Charlie: Well, actually, we haveCelebrate Hanukkah. How to start in two
weeks this year, my parents have started shopping for gifts, I'm sure. My sister and I make a calendar. Boy are we surprised when we see pictures! I can not wait to give it to them.
Greg: I think we have more
time to prepare, because Christmas is December 25. My sister and brother still think Santa b
rings his gifts and have them under our tree. Your calendar looks like a nice idea, but I thinkbuy my family some gifts at the mall.
Charlie: For Hanukkah, give my parents and my sister b
ring me a gift for each of the eight nights of vacation. Some Jewish families gifts all at once, like you.
Greg: why Hanukkah lasts eight days?
Charlie: Well, you see, the greek Assyrian king Antiochus IV captured and desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem. resumed with the
time of the Maccabees, there were enough holy oil to last one day. But guesswhat! It 'paid for eight days, instead! We light candles in a menorah, or candelabra, each night. The first night we light the second evening, two, and so on until all the candles lit in the night eighth. The largest shammash candle and use it for any other light.
Greg: Wow! We light candles, too, but for some other reason. You know that Christmas is the day of Jesus' birth. Well, in the Middle Ages there was a legend that would be the Baby Jesus
walk the earth looking for places that would be received. If we put candles in our windows or along the sidewalks, it means that he is welcome in our house. Of course, no one knew how he was dressed, made a habit so that people do not go out for Christmas.
Charlie: That's interesting. What are you doing Christmas Eve?
Greg: We celebrate Christmas Eve by a large mass in the church and singing Christmas
carols. Did you know that the most famous Christmas
carol servicecomes from Cambridge in England? It was first performed in 1918 at King's College, as a way to celebrate the First World
war was over!
Charlie: Well, for Hanukkah, there is a special service of the temple. There are parties, however, and celebrate with festive meals, dancing, eating, playing and opening of presents. All our relatives get together and that makes me happy. Because oil is so important Hanukkah, many foods made from it. My favorite is potato pancakes, fried or servedwith apple sauce ... yummy! Eat something special for Christmas?
Greg: Yep! Our family eats turkey! Some of the families of my friends' eating the ham, though. They want to know what I like best? The Christmas cookies and apple pie, my grandparents like bread fruit. I like that my whole family is coming. What do you do for Hanukkah?
CB: My family is playing our favorite game, Dreidel. A dreidel is a spinning top with four Hebrew letters. It is played with dice and each portthree to start the kittens. And if someone lands on three of the letters, they either do nothing, take half the kitty, or put in three more nuts. The lucky player who lands on Gimmel, however, wins the whole pot! We always like chocolate wrapped in
gold paper are similar to coins. It's called Chanukah Gelt, Gelt is because the Hebrew word for money. What is your favorite part of Christmas?
Greg: Hmm. I love many things about it, but I think a lot of fun, like my familyget together and decorate our Christmas tree. Everyone does their part and depends on glass ornaments, tinsel in a row, and popcorn. And, oh, the song! All of us are smiling and happy. By the way, did you know that many Christmas traditions we see today started in Germany? England's Queen Victoria, visited relatives over there and fell in love with Prince Albert. After the wedding and returned to England, the British have their own trees and
hand-blown glass balls. In the U.S., theTree tradition probably began with Hessian troops du
ring the American Revolution or with German immigrants. In 1851 he sold a farmer from the Catskill Mountains evergreen trees in New York and in 1920 was the custom of a Christmas tree with very often. I can not imagine Christmas without it!
Narrator: The boys are in the vicinity of the basketball court again.
Charlie: Well, we returned to the starting point! I learned a lot about Christmas. You know, even if wedifferent religions and celebrate different holidays, we both love to meet with our families in this time of year and enjoy the
spirit of gift exchange.
Greg: Yes, it's nice to know that we have something in common besides basketball. Thanks for telling me about Hanukkah. The judge is quite empty. You still have time to shoot some hoops?
Charlie: You bet!
Narrator: The boys go out there and the basketball game begins.
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