Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

Oy Joy, and a Merry Mazol Tov to you all! It may have been popularised through a TV show, but the "faux holiday" of Chrismukkah is becoming a genuine part of many family's festive celebrations in the United States.

Fictional tv character Seth Cohen claimed in the Fox television show "The O.C." to have "created Chrismukkah" when he was six years old, merging the two faiths because of his Jewish father and Protestant mother. (Some spell it with the "T", retaining the Christian "Christ" in the name).

The hybrid holiday of Chrismukkah - combining Christmas and Hanukkah - has now been adopted by Greeting Card companies and other merchandising businesses.

This year is the perfect year for merging the celebrations, with Christmas's December the 25th falling right in the middle of the 8 days of Hanukkah (which began at sunset on the 22nd Dec).

Reading stories on the web this morning, it seems many hybrid American families are adopting the holiday, which allows them to put up both a Christmas tree and a Hanukkah menorah.

Food is of course a big part of both celebrations, with suggestions on how to cook up a Kosher Chrismukkah feast. Some say it is possible to serve up a platter full of potato latkes, alongside a traditional Christmas stuffed turkey with all the trimmings!