Covering the Holidays

· FAMILY · GIFTS ·

While Christians deck the halls, the Chinese clear the decks. When turkeys roast, latkes simmer. Where Santa comes down chimneys, Kachinas climb out of kivas all in the cause of winter celebration.

Call it December or the Muslim 12th month... consider it as the end of the old year or the beginning of the new...note it as the winter solstice... label it as a hot point in the liturgical calendar, and sing it out: "Celebration."

Holiday. Say the word and smile. Observe a people, examine a civilization, study a culture, and discover the common ties that bind: family, gifts, song, dance, and light. Call it Christmas, Hanukkah, Chinese New Year, the Navajo Yeibichai, the Hopi Soyal, or the Hindu Festival of Diwali - and you'll discover generations of people all over the globe gathering with their loved ones to celebrate a special time.

The foods, tunes, gifts, dances, and decorations differ, but the mood is similar. The spirit of celebration translates into every language. Regardless of the melody, the words are familiar. Happiness. Thanksgiving. Hope.

Mention "the other holiday" and most Americans think of the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, which has grown in stature, if not in religious significance, over the last 1983 years. Hanukkah was never meant to be a major religious celebration, but landing in December, it found itself up against some heavy-duty competition. Now, in addition to the basics - food and family and a special candelabrum called a menorah - shops burst with Hanukkah cards, Hanukkah giftwrap, Hanukkah gelt (gold-foil-wrapped chocolate coins), and other retail temptations for the body and soul.

Presents preempt much of the ritual, but Hanukkah tradition endures in the shape of golden potato pan-cakes called latkes, spinning tops called dreidles, and the lighting of the menorah.

The Hanukkah story has all the important elements: brave men, a war, romance, and mystery. It stars Mattathias and his five sons, the Maccabees, who fought the Syrian-Greek tyrant Antiochus and won. Like guerrilla fighters, the Maccabees had hidden for years in the hills, striking whenever and wherever they could. Finally, in 164 B.C., Judah Maccabee, whose name translates into "the hammer," led a tiny but coura-geous band of men in an extraordinarily successful surprise raid to recapture Jerusalem.

When the Maccabees entered the Temple they discovered pigs rooting at the altar and other unclean, defiling acts. Judah Maccabee and his men began the cleanup and then discovered the oil lamp, which burns in every Temple and is never allowed to go out, had barely enough fuel to burn even one more day.

A messenger set out to bring more oil, a journey of eight days and eight nights. Judah and his brothers despaired that the Eternal Flame would die before the messenger could return. Miraculously, the story goes, the flame burned brightly for eight days and eight nights until more oil arrived.

Each year, on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, Jewish families gather to retell this tale, lighting one candle every night until, by the final night, the entire menorah blazes brightly. Pride is polished through prayer and song, for by retelling the story of the rededication of the Temple, an ancient faith is reaffirmed.

While Jews cherish the story of their miraculous lights, on the other side of the world Hindus also light oil lamps to celebrate a major holiday, the Festival of Diwali which combines New Year, Thanksgiving, and Day of the Dead celebrations. In late October or