Four Ways to Give the Gift of Meaning and Spirit for Chanukah and Christmas

An interview with Nina Amir about how to transform empty Chanukah and Christmas celebrations into meaningful and spiritual -- meaning-full and spirit-full -- holiday observances.

Los Gatos, CA (PRWeb) December 13, 2006 -- Despite the fact that the observance of Chanukah involves the lighting of candles and Christmas has become known for its show of lights, often Jews and Christians alike find themselves spiritually in the dark during these winter holidays. Its difficult to feel enlightened by holiday observances when the meaningful or spiritual components of these holy days have been forsaken for the rush of purchasing, giving and receiving gifts alone. In fact, opening presents turns into an empty act when the giving and receiving are not accompanied by an overall meaningful and spiritual holiday atmosphere and attitude.

While both the Jewish and Christian holiday stories revolve around miracles, which means they stress the hand of God in human affairs, many people celebrating Christmas and Chanukah find these holidays have become less about religion and spirituality and more about consumerism. For Jews confronted at every turn with Christmas decorations, music, presents, parties, and messages, Chanukah, a holiday that historically has not been a time for gift-giving, has turned into a competition with Christmas rather than a remembrance of a battle for religious freedom and the miracle of the oil lamp," claims Nina Amir, president of Pure Spirit Creations and an expert at transforming empty religious practices into meaning-full and spirit-full" rituals. For many Christians, Christmas has become more about home decorations, Santa Claus and shopping for gifts than about the miraculous birth of Jesus or a connection to their faith."

says Amir. For Jews, this might be the Maccabees fight for religious freedom. For Christians it might be the birth of Jesus.

Just as the Maccabis fought back against the Syrians desire to assimilate them into their religion and way of life, today Jews and Christians who want to get more out of the winter holidays than presents must fight to find ways to put meaning and spirituality back into Chanukah and Christmas. When we find our holiday rituals, such as lighting the Chanukah candles or setting up our Christmas tree devoid of meaning or spiritual context, we can take steps to transform our empty observances into ‘meaning-full and spirit-full rituals and traditions. It is possible to instill the lighting of the Chanukah candles or the giving of Christmas gifts with meaning and to make these rituals a spiritual practice for ourselves and for the whole family," reports Amir, the author of From Empty Practice to Meaning-Full and Spirit-Full Rituals and Prayers…in Six Easy Steps.

To make this winters holidays meaningful, she suggests taking these three steps:

Research or review why these holidays are observed and what they really are about. To make your holiday observance meaningful, find some aspect of the holiday that has personal meaning for you or some religious symbolism or history that resonates with you," says Amir. For Jews, this might be the Maccabees fight for religious freedom. For Christians it might be the birth of Jesus."

Pick a prayer or ritual used when observing the holiday -- such as lighting the Chanukah candles or the star on the top of your Christmas tree. Learn how to perform the ritual or to say the prayer. If no set ritual or prayer already exists, create one yourself," suggests Amir.

Perform the ritual or say the prayer while keeping the meaning in mind. If you do this, Amir claims, Your observance miraculously becomes meaningful."

To make Chanukah and/or Christmas celebrations spiritual, dont forget this step:

Create a sacred space within which to set your chanukiah, the special menorah used on Chanukah, to place your Christmas tree or manger scene or to exchange gifts. This step can be as simple as placing a special table cloth on the table where you place your holiday candles or decorations, burning incense in the room where you will be giving gifts or lighting the chanukiah, or saying a prayer invoking the Divine Presence to join you for your holiday gift giving or meals," she claims.

Amir, an acclaimed journalist and motivational speaker, is currently writing Setting a Place for God, A Womans Guide to Creating Sacred Space and Inviting the Divine to Dwell Within It. To sign up for her free teleseminar, Four Ways to Create Meaningful and Spiritual Chanukah and Christmas Celebrations," on December 15th, visit www.purespiritcreations.com. For more information on Amirs books, teleseminars and classes, or to book a speaking engagement, call 408-353-1943.

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