Hanukkah Today Would Baffle the Maccabees

Corporations -- and plenty of everyday people -- treat Hanukkah as Jewish Christmas. It has a nice little story about miraculous oil, plus you decorate your house and give gifts. Even plenty of Jews feel this way; Hanukkah provides a way for us to participate in the music, media and cheer that dominates the Christmas season. After all, for many of the people taking advantage of Black Friday sales or putting up yard displays of lights and inflatables, Christmas is barely even Christian anymore -- it has become an American holiday about Santa and reindeer and presents, and Jewish Americans don't want to miss out.