Not exactly what I needed to hear tonight

...after a tough day at work:

"I wish we were Christian," Rachel said tonight. "'Cuz then I could celebrate Christmas and get lots of presents. And I could hug Santa Claus."

I sat down with her and told her that she's Jewish, not Christian, and being Jewish is special, and that Christian kids don't have mommies who come to class and talk about Hanukkah, and Christian kids don't have mommies who bring doughnuts to class during said talk, and that she gets plenty of presents at Hanukkah. I felt that she had caught on when she asked if Christian kids get chocolate coins at Christmas, and I said no.

I am trying not to overreact, but her statement felt like a stab to the heart. As a Jewish kid she will always be a minority wherever she lives in America, and I want to arm her against the cruddy feeling I always get around Christmas, when it feels like everyone in the world is celebrating a holiday you're not part of. Hopefully she will experience enough of the joy and intellect of Judaism so that she can take pride and pleasure in her religion and not feel like she's missing out.

I hope.