#eight nights

[peacefuldwellings]

MyBakeryClub

[giffypudding]

Driving to the last night of Hanukkah party

[prettyspacehappyplace]

8th night 🕯🕯🕯🕯 ✨🕯🕯🕯🕯

Until next year...

[cianmars]

Snow Day (0.1/8 Eight Nights)

Prequel: Snow Day (A03):

A prequel to my Hanukkah series; Featuring Snow’s birthday.

Evil Snowing au verse: Ry surprises his Mama for her birthday. David, Snow, and Regina have been married for a couple of years. Their family is made up of Henry + Ella + Lucy, Ry (Wisheverse Henry), Neal, and deaged Emma.

@findingtallahassee @trueloveismagic @fezfanatic

Ry pulled his cellphone out of pocket, he leant back against the wall, his giant backpack more in contact with the stone gateway, he pressed buttons on his phone as he looked up the long driveway. He listened as the dial tone as he rang the only too familiar tone as the call rang through.

It was now just over three years since he had moved from his Enchanted Forest to Storybrooke, to live with Regina and her family. It had taken him some time to get used to it all, to Regina though he trusted her, and to her husband and wife: an alternative version of his grandparents, it was the small differences which were harder to get used to, otherwise having them officially being his mom and dad wasn’t too different they had probably had more input than his biological mother in his land, the Wish Verse as it known in The United Realms. That was another thing which was different, Emma had been changed back into a baby by some spell, truth be told according to Snow, Regina, and David, even Henry and Neal, Emma had been particularly lost since ‘the final battle’, the one where Gideon had been given another chance. Without good and evil to fight and in a quiet town she had lost her way. She had been returned to a baby by some wayward yet irreversible spell but now she was much happier. She was getting a second chance at happiness and was now his and Henry’s sister rather than their birth mom.

Ry had been travelling around this realm for the past few months, he was still figuring out who he was both with and away from his new family, he found that he was someone who loved travel and photography, and someone who really missed his family when he was away from them. He had missed thanksgiving, he had been half way up the Andes facetiming them, having his own makeshift meal.

Finally the phone was picked up, an easy smile came to his face, hearing Snow’s voice over the other end.

“Ry!”

“Hey Mama.” There was noise in the background, the party for Snow’s birthday, he had been told about it by Regina and David. “Happy birthday!”

“Aw, thank you honey, your mother and father threw me a surprise party, and your card arrived this morning, it’s beautiful, thank you.”

“I’m glad you like it.” He pushed himself off of the wall and began to walk.

Inside of her home, Snow moved out to the entrance hall of the house, smiling all the while. “What’s that noise, are you walking up another mountain?” She laughed a little, Ry seemed to climb up a whole lot of mountains, Neal kept copying him, going hiking with David around the United Realms.

Ry let out a chuckle. “Yeah, something like that.” He hitched his heavy backpack further up his back. “So, what did you get for you birthday?” He listened to her tell him all the things she had been gifted as he walked.

“-Oh,” Snow interrupted herself hearing the doorbell ring, “- One second, someone’s at the door.”

“Okay, Mama.” Instead of keeping the phone against his ear he hung up and put it into his coat pocket.

“Oh my-!” Snow’s eyes went wide full of surprise, her mouth hung open, she threw her arms around her son. “I thought you were the other side of the country, that you couldn’t get home… I can’t believe that you’re here.”

Ry wrapped his arms around her in return. “I couldn’t miss your birthday, Mama.” He couldn’t help but smile as she peppered his face with kisses, the rest of their family and friends had heard the commotion and joined them in the hallway. A couple of years before he would have been able to even imagine so many people being happy to see him.

Three year old Emma came running up to join in Snow and Ry’s hug. “You’re here for Mommy’s birthday!”

Ry let go of his mother to heft Emma up into his arms, grinning at how close she was cuddling to him, he kissed her cheek. “Of course, I couldn’t miss her birthday. And I’m staying for a while, for Hanukkah and Christmas, and New Year.” He promised. He looked over at David, who was stood with Henry and Neal grinning beside him. “Thank you, dad.” He mouthed, without David’s help he wouldn’t have been there, and he didn’t want to miss all of this.

“Come in,” Snow ushered, “you need to eat properly.”

“And we want to hear all your stories.” Regina added.

Ry rolled his eyes good naturedly, pretending to be irked by them, he locked eyes with Henry, who knew his facial expressions more than anyone they shared a smile with each other. Ry allowed his mothers to lead him in, dumping his backpack and coat while trying to keep hold of Emma.

There was music playing, their family and friends called their hellos and ‘welcome back’s, the smell of different food filled the air, the walls were decorated with blues and whites and silvers ready for Hanukkah, and there were piled of presents and cards for Snow's birthday.

It was good to be home.

[jewishvirtuallibrary-blog]

Today is the eighth and final night of Chanukkah 2017.  

The only religious observance related to the holiday is the lighting of candles. The candles are arranged in a candelabrum called a Hanukia. Many people refer to the Hanukia incorrectly as a menorah. The name menorah is used only to describe the seven-branched candelabrum that was housed in the Jewish Temple. The Hanukia holds nine candles: one for each night, plus a shamash (servant) at a different height. On the first night, one candle is placed at the far right. The shamash candle is lit and three berakhot (blessings) are recited: l'hadlik neir (a general prayer over candles), she-asah nisim (a prayer thanking G-d for performing miracles for our ancestors at this time), and she-hekhianu (a general prayer thanking G-d for allowing us to reach this time of year). The first candle is then lit using the shamash candle, and the shamash candle is placed in its holder.  Each night, another candle is added from right to left (like the Hebrew language). Candles are lit from left to right (because you pay honor to the newer thing first).

[peacefuldwellings]

Marble Brass Menorah

[cianmars]

Eight Nights (1/8): 1st Candle: Family

Eight Nights: 1st Candle: Family (AO3)

The Charming Mills celebrate Hanukkah together, on the first night the gift they receive and are grateful for is having time as a family together.

AN: As the character of Snow as well as the characters of her parents are portrayed by Jewish actors myself and several others believe that Snow is Jewish, and that her family celebrate both Jewish and Christian holidays. I'm not Jewish but I'm trying my best, please let me know if there's anything you think that I should include, or anything. There will be a bit more discussion of the religion in the later fics (of which there'll be eight) The series is largely based on this list by Hallmark of Hanukkah gifts. https://ideas.hallmark.com/articles/hanukkah-ideas/hanukkah-gift-ideas/

The first night of Hanukkah the Charming-Mills were surrounded by their family.

Their house was decorated, mostly by Neal and Emma, with blue and silver decorations, paper dreidel and star shaped garlands were strung across the fireplace, there were a lot of candles around.

In pride of place, on the side table of the living room was the Menorah, two candles had been lit in the view of the window to announce the miracle to the outside world. They had lit the shamash then lit the first candle for the first night saying prayers as they did so. They had even bought little Emma a wooden toy menorah to which she had stacked two wooden ‘flames’ on the wooden candles, copying the ancient menorah which had been passed down through Snow’s entire family, Emma had even gotten Snow to say the prayers over the toy candles, and tried to copy her moms words.

They had been a little busy the year before so their Hanukkah hadn’t been as meticulously planned as most of their other family events and holidays, but this year they had gone all out, the house was beautifully decorates, and Emma, now three, was able to understand the holiday a little better, most importantly all of their family was together.

After their whole family gathered, lighting the Menorah, saying prayers, celebrating and being together, David led them back into the living room (which he, Henry, and Ry had been in while the others got changed into comfortable clothes and pyjamas).

The room had been completely transformed; the big couches moved around a little, several blow up mattresses on the floor, and pillows and blankets draped all around the room.

“Cool!” Neal grinned, the thirteen year old dropped his usual ‘couldn’t care less’ teenage attitude, letting his real feeling show through.

David smiled back at him. “Thanks buddy.” David hadn’t grown up jewish, in fact his father had been Christian, when it suited him, David had broken away from religion entirely when his abusive father died, he both respects and appreciates his wife Judaism, out of habit and the memories of going with his mother, he started to attend christmas church services when he came to Storybrooke.

Regina ran her hand through Neal’s short hair, dropping a kiss onto the top of his dark hair, then led him and the rest of their family into the room. “This is the first gift from us to you all.”

“A movie night?” Lucy asked, already deciding to pick a place on one of the couches, her uncle Neal chose the other side each grabbing for blankets at the same time, the two were obviously excited about this.

David took hold of Regina and Snow’s hands leading them to the biggest couch he had set up especially for them. “Yep, I’ll grab the snacks we got while you guys choose a movie.”

Snow chose the middle of the couch Regina on one side, and space for David on the other. “We got some new dvds too, the gift for today is family time, to welcome the first night of Hanukkah with gratitude towards all of those who we love.” She told her granddaughter. She was so happy that she was finally able to get to know Lucy, Ella, and Ry. that she had Henry and Regina back, that Emma had another chance at a happy life with them. “Emma, sweetie, do you want to sleep with me, and daddy, and mama?” She held her arms out in the direction of her toddler who was currently trying to jump on the air bed Henry and Emma were on, laughing as she tried.

Emma was rather disappointed in the airbeds, they weren’t bouncy like she had hoped, she jumped off them and went to her mommy’s arms. “We sleepin’ here?” Emma tilted her head to the side, exactly like Snow did.

Regina kissed her forehead, as David and Ry got up to grab the snacks for their family, Emma settled on Snow lap, watching out for her dad, ever the daddy’s girl. “Yes, sweet pea, we’re going to have a big sleepover.”

David and Ry came back in, dishing out bowls of popcorn, candy, and chilled soda, a sippy cup of chocolate milk for Emma. They all settled down. By the end of the Rugrats Hanukkah special Emma was fast asleep curled on David’s chest, Snow and Regina cuddled into his side, Neal, Lucy, Ry, Henry, and Ella all sat snacking and talking as they began to watch Little Fockers. All were grateful that they had their family to celebrate and spend time with particularly after all the time they had been apart.

“Chag Urim Sameach.” Snow whispered to her spouses.

“Chag Sameach.” Both David and Regina whispered in return.

[eretzyisrael]