Lillian Weiss-Pires, 8, said she loves Christmas because it feels cozy. She enjoys decorating the tree and opening presents.

“I like to imagine Santa Claus coming in and dropping off the presents,” she said.

The third-grader, who lives with her two mothers in Oakland, California, also loves Hanukkah.

“Hanukkah is the place to truly gather with friends and family,” she said. “Plus you can eat a lot more, and I love eating!”

A holiday with European history

The celebration of both Jewish and Christian festivals is popularly known as Chrismukkah. In 2024, Hanukkah begins at sunset on Christmas Day, which is rare.

Chrismukka has its roots in the 19th century – when German Jews, some of whom were increasingly integrated into mainstream German Christian culture, adopted Christmas traditions in a secular way. The celebration was originally called Weihnukkah (“Christmas Ukkah”)Christmas” means “Christmas” in German.)

“On the one hand, assimilation was a sign of social acceptance and economic and political integration,” journalist James Wald wrote in a 2016 article about the holiday The Times of Israel. “On the other hand, it led to a decline in the Jewish population.”

In the United States, Chrismukkah has gained prominence in pop culture in recent decades, having been the focus of an episode of the TV series in December 2003 The OK One of the series’ main characters, Seth Cohen, viewed the holiday as a way to celebrate his combined Jewish and Protestant heritage. The OK Afterwards there were annual Christmas specials.

A Chrismukkah from Oakland

With Christmas and Hanukkah occurring at the same time this year, holiday baking in the Weiss-Pires household may be a little more chaotic than usual. Christmas gingerbread ends up stuck on the countertop and rugelach — a sweet Jewish holiday treat — accidentally ends up without a cinnamon-sugar topping in the oven.

“Usually you put it at the very beginning, but we can do this now while it’s sizzling a little,” said Lynda Pires, one of Lillian’s mothers, as she sprinkles cinnamon sugar on the hot rugelach and then puts the delicacies back in the oven to finish to finish baking.

Mixed holiday traditions run deep in this family. Pires said she was raised Catholic.

“There were crucifixes everywhere in my house – thanks to my Brazilian father!” she said.

But she grew up in New York City and celebrated the birth of Jesus there And the festival of lights.

“I loved going to Hanukkah parties,” Pires said. “My friend’s mom made the best chocolate cake.”

Lillian’s other parent, Bessie Weiss, is Jewish. She said she has always celebrated Hanukkah.

“We lit the candles every night, and some years there were little gifts,” she said of how her family typically celebrated the holiday when she was growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area.

But she said she’s also learned to enjoy Christmas over the years.

“All the Jews in my parents’ neighborhood sang Christmas carols!” she said.

Navigate the day

Today, Christmas songs continue to be an integral part of this family’s holiday traditions, from “Jingle Bells” to “Last Christmas.” (Lillian likes Ariana Grande’s version best; her mothers prefer George Michael.) And they also like to sing Hanukkah songs like “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel.”

That being said, the extensive Chrismukkah celebrations can sometimes be confusing – especially in a year like this when there is no gap between the holidays.

“If I want to wear something holiday-themed, I usually pick the holiday that’s closest to it,” Lillian says of how she’s managed her wardrobe over the past holidays. “But I’m not sure whether to do a Christmas or Hanukkah theme right now.”

Her mothers tell her that Christmas and Hanukkah fall on the same day, making it easier to combine them freely.

“Okay, so blue shiny pants decorated with the Hanukkah symbol,” Lillian said, dreaming up the ultimate outfit for the 2024 holiday. “And a Christmas sweater.”