For most people, Thanksgiving signals the start of what is known as “the holiday season.” Which in a community as white bread as ours pretty much just means Christmas. But this year, one of those holidays that you’d usually hear mentioned on the announcements by student government in their effort to pass off their totally-not-just-Christmas school festivities as a secular event will be missing. Starting on Thanksgiving, Hannukah will be over just as people are putting up their Christmas lights and the T.V. stations are airing their holiday specials.

There will be many perks to this year’s Thanksgiving-Hanukkah fusion: the consuming of both pie and jelly donuts, playing dreidal while watching the Macy’s parade. This Thanksgiving, Jews across the country will open un-discounted presents and anticipate the many “Happy Holidays” they will receive in the next  month that will not apply to them.  We’ll have the last laugh when we’re sitting at home eating sweet potato latkes and not being trampled in Walmart.