Winterfest in July Bingo 21
Title: Happy Hanukah
Prompt: Lighting Candles
Fandom: original
Characters: Bernd & Minky, mention of Amber
Word count: 543
Rating: G
Summary: Minky and Bernd celebrate the first night of Hanukah…
Genre: slice of life
Author’s notes: Thanks go out to my beta, Kat, for pinking this for me. Please note that Mishka & Amber belong to her.
Author’s note 2: “Ima” is Hebrew for Mom/Mother. A “hamsa” is an amulet that looks like a stylized hand. It was adopted into Jewish culture from their Muslim neighbors.
“Happy Hanukah,” Mishka said as she plunked a wrapped gift box in front of Bernd. She grinned at the puzzled look on his face. “You were so gung ho about it last year that I thought I’d get you a little something.”
“Uh… Thanks!” Bernd grinned back at her. He closed his laptop and stared at the package.
“So what are you waiting for? Open it.”
Bernd picked up the gift. “Doesn’t Hanukah start tonight? Like at sundown?” He frowned.
She nodded. “Call it an early present. Now open it.”
Bernd shrugged and tore the paper off. He opened the box and inside was a small silver menorah and box of candles. He looked up at her and chuckled.
“Now you have one of your own.”
“Yup! Thanks, Minky.” Bernd reached out and hugged her.
Mishka patted his head. “You’re welcome. Let’s go light it.”
“You sure it’s not too early?”
She checked her watch. “No, it should be lit about now. I’ll meet you in the den. I want to go get mine and set it up too.”
“We can light mine and yours?”
“Yup! When I was a little girl, we made one in Hebrew school. I used to light it, while my mother would light this huge silver one that belonged to her grandmother.”
“Okay.”
They met a few minutes later in the den and set their menorahs up on the table Wolfgang had put in front of the window for them. Bernd and Mishka each took out two candles. The one was set into the menorah, the other one they held while lit them with a lighter. They each lit a first night candle, before setting their shamash candles in their holders.
“Do you remember the blessing?”
“I think so,” Bernd replied.
Together, they recited them. Since it was the first night, Mishka added another blessing.
“Happy Hanukah, Bernd.”
“Happy Hanukah, Minky.” He handed her a small gift. “It’s from me and Amber.”
“Thanks.” She opened it. “It’s beautiful!” Mishka took out the silver necklace and put it on. A dainty sterling silver hamsa pendant hung from it. “I’ve always wanted one of these. How did you know?”
“We didn’t. We just asked the guy in the jewelry store what would make a nice Hanukah present for a friend of ours and he showed us a bunch of stuff. Amber picked it out.” He grinned. “She’s going to give you our Christmas present that I picked out for you tonight when we open our presents.”
“I can’t wait to see it.” She laughed; remembering last year’s present of a tacky Christmas sweater to go with the Hanukah one they had gotten her. Everyone had gotten one and they had an Ugly Christmas sweater party as part of the celebrations.
“I think you’ll like it,” he smirked.
“I know I will!”
“Anyways… I need to get back to work. I have a couple of things to do before I shut down for the weekend. Stupid customer wanted all these last minute changes.” Bernd sighed.
“I’ll see you later then.” She watched him go. Digging her cell phone out of her pocket, Mishka sat on the sofa and did something she rarely did, she called her mother. “Hey, Ima. Happy Hanukah…”
Prompt: Lighting Candles
Fandom: original
Characters: Bernd & Minky, mention of Amber
Word count: 543
Rating: G
Summary: Minky and Bernd celebrate the first night of Hanukah…
Genre: slice of life
Author’s notes: Thanks go out to my beta, Kat, for pinking this for me. Please note that Mishka & Amber belong to her.
Author’s note 2: “Ima” is Hebrew for Mom/Mother. A “hamsa” is an amulet that looks like a stylized hand. It was adopted into Jewish culture from their Muslim neighbors.
“Happy Hanukah,” Mishka said as she plunked a wrapped gift box in front of Bernd. She grinned at the puzzled look on his face. “You were so gung ho about it last year that I thought I’d get you a little something.”
“Uh… Thanks!” Bernd grinned back at her. He closed his laptop and stared at the package.
“So what are you waiting for? Open it.”
Bernd picked up the gift. “Doesn’t Hanukah start tonight? Like at sundown?” He frowned.
She nodded. “Call it an early present. Now open it.”
Bernd shrugged and tore the paper off. He opened the box and inside was a small silver menorah and box of candles. He looked up at her and chuckled.
“Now you have one of your own.”
“Yup! Thanks, Minky.” Bernd reached out and hugged her.
Mishka patted his head. “You’re welcome. Let’s go light it.”
“You sure it’s not too early?”
She checked her watch. “No, it should be lit about now. I’ll meet you in the den. I want to go get mine and set it up too.”
“We can light mine and yours?”
“Yup! When I was a little girl, we made one in Hebrew school. I used to light it, while my mother would light this huge silver one that belonged to her grandmother.”
“Okay.”
They met a few minutes later in the den and set their menorahs up on the table Wolfgang had put in front of the window for them. Bernd and Mishka each took out two candles. The one was set into the menorah, the other one they held while lit them with a lighter. They each lit a first night candle, before setting their shamash candles in their holders.
“Do you remember the blessing?”
“I think so,” Bernd replied.
Together, they recited them. Since it was the first night, Mishka added another blessing.
“Happy Hanukah, Bernd.”
“Happy Hanukah, Minky.” He handed her a small gift. “It’s from me and Amber.”
“Thanks.” She opened it. “It’s beautiful!” Mishka took out the silver necklace and put it on. A dainty sterling silver hamsa pendant hung from it. “I’ve always wanted one of these. How did you know?”
“We didn’t. We just asked the guy in the jewelry store what would make a nice Hanukah present for a friend of ours and he showed us a bunch of stuff. Amber picked it out.” He grinned. “She’s going to give you our Christmas present that I picked out for you tonight when we open our presents.”
“I can’t wait to see it.” She laughed; remembering last year’s present of a tacky Christmas sweater to go with the Hanukah one they had gotten her. Everyone had gotten one and they had an Ugly Christmas sweater party as part of the celebrations.
“I think you’ll like it,” he smirked.
“I know I will!”
“Anyways… I need to get back to work. I have a couple of things to do before I shut down for the weekend. Stupid customer wanted all these last minute changes.” Bernd sighed.
“I’ll see you later then.” She watched him go. Digging her cell phone out of her pocket, Mishka sat on the sofa and did something she rarely did, she called her mother. “Hey, Ima. Happy Hanukah…”