Last week for Christmas Eve, Non and I had nowhere to go, so we invited over some Jewish friends of ours (we knew they'd have nowhere to be). Non is Jewish, too, in case that fact had escaped anyone's consciousness (or in case I'd forgotten to mention it), but because I was raised Christian, Non and I both planned to celebrate on the 24th.

These are great friends of ours with whom we always have a good time, but truth be told, I wasn't looking forward to this Christmas Eve because I didn't know to what extent they would be okay with participating in our Christmas Eve festivities. After all the services I've attended, the traditions I've participated in, and the events I've gone to that are Jewish in nature, I wasn't so sure the act would be reciprocated (me being the lone Gentile in a group of Jewish friends). I was anticipating my Christmas Eve (traditionally my family's big night to celebrate) to be a dud. I have a way of working myself up over my own presuppositions.

But, lo and behold, our friends were great. We talked Christmas, we ate, we laughed, we played games, we even sang Christmas songs (to which they didn't really know the words but tried to sing along with anyway). It turned out to be a really wonderful night, and I felt sheepish over my earlier assumption. Yes, it's true they're Jewish, but first and foremost they're my friends. I was a fool to underestimate them.