That’s my sister on Santa’s knee, while I pose in the background… In a bathing suit. Maybe allowing me to dress myself wasn’t the best idea, mom?

On a cultural level, I think everyone can appreciate Christmas. When we were kids, Thérèse, our French Canadian Catholic nanny, used to leave individually wrapped raisins and nuts wrapped in tinfoil around her Christmas tree for my sister and me. Therese used Christmas to show us that it wasn’t about the size of the gift – it’s about the thought, and love, and being with your family.

To this day, I remember the excitement of opening those gifts. And to this day, my mom marvels at the fact that, at age 7, the Barbie dream house I received was less exciting to me than a single raisin wrapped in tinfoil. I don’t think that makes me less of a Jew – I do think it makes me a more well-rounded human being.

Here’s to all of us expanding our horizons in ’09…