So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able Lighting trees in darkness, learning new ways from the old, and Making sense of history and drawing warmth out of the coldDar Williams The Christians and the Pagans

Just over 25 years ago I began attending Passover seders at my friends J and E's home. Their sons were just young teens then, and now they are both PhDs with smart and capable wives. One couple has had two children. I have moved away from NYC, but I will drive down to the city so that I can help with the preparations for seder starting Thursday and into Friday. I will be peeling veggies and laughing and basking in the immense joy of my extended family. With the exception of one 85 year old (Catholic) cousin, my entire blood family is dead. So my extended family is my family in every way.

This is a weekend for Holy Days in more than one tradition. The calendars of a variety of religious traditions mark special days on this weekend. As I researched this weekend I discovered that it is a once-in-a-millennium convergence of holidays across all major religious traditions. Not once-in-a-lifetime, but once-in-a-millennium.

I spent a little time today searching the Net for New Year's traditions, both old and new. My little family needs the aura of stability created by tradition. If I had had more time, I would've celebrated Kwanzaa this year, a celebration with family-grounding traditions, but my life was a little too chaotic this December, which was par for the course in 2007 and previous years.

People all over the world have special traditions for celebrating the arrival of the new year, and often celebrations include the idea of eating lucky foods, thought to bring happiness and prosperity in the year to come. Just which foods are lucky depends on where you are, but there are some traditions that are pretty widespread. Here are suggestions for lucky foods from around the world, but if you have a New Year's Food tradition that brings you luck, please share your link or recipe in the comments.

Last month Lainad introduced the concepts of Kwanzaa which begins Wednesday.  While gifts were not initially part of the Kwanzaa celebration, some people do give zawadi, or gifts, on the final day. Others treat Kwanzaa more like Hannukah, giving a small meaningful gift each day of the celebration; with such gifts representing the principle of the day.

I can vividly remember the first time I tasted Glögg, the delightful Swedish Christmas drink made of heated wine and other spirits, and often served with raisins and almonds sprinkled on top. When I had my first taste of this dangerously delicious hot drink, I was spending Thanksgiving on a houseboat at Utah's Lake Powell and a friend named Jane had brought along a big jug of Glögg, which we heated on the houseboat stove and sipped from coffee mugs. As soon as I tasted it, I asked her for the recipe, and it's something I've been making for holiday parties ever since. Keep reading for Jane's fabulous Glögg recipe, plus a few more versions of Glögg I found.

"Mom? May I help with the dishes, please?" "Mom, my brother just whacked me but I didn't hit him back and I really do love him." "Mom, would it be okay if I light the candles for your bubblebath?" Yes, Santa will arrive soon and so kids everywhere are priming parents with Nice, not Naughty. What to do, to prepare?

OK, all you beloved BlogHer Lurkers, time to come out and show us who you are in an easy way. And you Regular BlogHer gals,come on in and join! I have listed 5 Holiday questions. Just copy the appropriate 5 into your Comment and type your answer under each question. Show us your holiday self! I have included two memes – one for Hannukah,. One for Christmas. I've answered mine at the bottom just to get you all started. CHRISTMAS MEME 1.Real tree or artificial or treeless? Any special traditions with the tree? 2. Eggnog or Cider or Mulled Wine?

For the fourth year, food bloggers around the world are participating in A Menu for Hope, the annual fund-raiser sponsored by Chez Pim. This year's campaign officially starts tomorrow and runs from December 10-21, and will raise money for the UN World Food Program with donations targeted to a school food program in Lesotho. We're hoping to beat last year's total of $62,925.12! One of the many fabulous prizes will be of special interest to Bloghers. Once again the wonderful Blogher founders have generously donated the prize of a free conference admission for Blogher's 2008 Summer conference. BlogHer '08 will be July 18-20, with all events taking place at the Westin St. Francis Hotel on Union Square in San Francisco. (Conference prize is a $350 value this year, and does not include travel or hotel costs. The Blogher Conference is open to women or men.) For the Blogher Conference Admission, the prize code is UW15. Keep reading to see how you can participate and have a chance to win this prize.

Hanukkah is called “The Festival of Lights”, and is a happy holiday in the Jewish tradition. It is considered among the smaller holidays. It does celebrate a powerful experience, however, the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after it had been seized and defiled by the Hellenic Syrians in 165 BCE. The word Hanukkah means “dedication”.) The story:

I am a divorced female with one adult child and one minor child. I have stories I could share about my first holiday without my minor child, my fears about what the ex's family might say to our child that might ruin his holiday experience, the questions he might have to answer that would make him uncomfortable. What do these worries illustrate except my family was dysfunctional before its legal break? Divorce didn't mess us up; we were already in trouble, and that's what I'm thinking about this holiday season: How much time do we spend during the holidays trying to manufacture Hallmark card moments when we know that our families are not Hallmark cards, that children sense desperation, and the best gift for the holidays is a peaceful spirit comfortable with itself?