Who doesn't love a paisley hippy Menorah?

The first night of Hanukkah at our house means the dinner table set in blue, white and silver, a little Chinese food, and then lighting our paisley painted hippy Menorah at sunset. Being that I, the not Jewish one, am the most interested in honoring the tradition, it's an invented sort of celebration. Chloe lights the candles and then we take turns telling a short something we are thankful for. It's a ritual I look forward to each year; one of my favorite parts of the holidays.

In my vision of how things should go, this always is a lovely, heartfelt time, with all three of us connected by a moment of gratitude. Celebrating the fact that the lighter days will come again, that the winter solstice is almost here, that the sun always comes out after a dark night.

In reality, there is often joking around and choruses of "You go first, I don't want to go first" and "I'm thankful for my toys." And by the eighth day we're all a bit tired of the whole thing and get pretty silly.

Tonight, some sweetness, a candle, family, and light. A little break from the everyday. And I do love that we have the most colorful Menorah I've seen. It always makes me smile.

And then, back to American Girl dolls, the Kings game, and laundry.

Happy Hannukah!