Holiday Traditions
through the eyes of a
few of our favorite natural moms
Mayim Bialik
Actress & Author of Beyond the Sling
Holiday Memories
My fondest memory of Chanukah is probably my mom’s latkes. Chanukah is full of candles
burning and dreydl and chanukah gelt (chocolate), too, but the smell of frying potatoes and
onions really says “Chanukah” to me.
Celebrating Sustainably
One thing we do is to not go nuts with pressure to buy presents. We have no protocol for
each other so there’s no standard to keep to. We don’t participate in 8 nights of gifts, and we
usually give our boys things like a book, or maybe one small toy. To eliminate contributing to the consumer machine that is the holiday season, we bake for family and give baked
goods in reusable containers.
For agents and managers and publicists and assistants, I resist the urge to buy gifts and instead make donations to meaningful charities in need of start-up funds.
Meaningful Lessons
We make sure to emphasize the historical aspects and lessons of bravery, faith, and tradition
that Chanukah has at its core. I guess that helps our kids understand how much of a “nongift-centered” holiday it is, since it’s about so many other things for them.
11