On Christmas Eve I always wish I celebrated Christmas. I like the feel of Christmas Eve: the world seems quiet, people spending time with their families. Of course, that’s not necessarily true in New York, a city with more Jews than any other place in the world besides Israel, in addition to non-Christian Asians, and Muslims. On Christmas Eve much of Manhattan goes on just as it always does — maybe a bit quieter and emptier, but still displaying its essential New Yorkiness.

Christmas is weird, because in many ways it’s not a religious holiday. Christmas trees, candy canes, Santa Claus — what does any of that have to do with Jesus Christ or the Middle East? I kind of wish the holiday would go full-on secular so that I could celebrate it.

Oh, well. We’re about to head out for some Chinese food. Which I guess is close enough to celebrating Christmas for this Jew.