Mount of Olives flora_2197 by hoyasmeg
As this holiday season has been approaching, I have been dreaming that it would be nice to go to the source of the holidays. I am a dreamer.
Then I read this post and saw that there is an Ultimate guide to Christmas in Israel where you can not only see where the events occurred in the Biblical portion of the Christmas holiday but you can also see the flora of the area that Jesus saw when He lived in Israel. And, you can also buy Christmas decorations and see Christmas trees.
Of course, you will probably not have a white Christmas there as you might have in other parts of the world. But since I don’t ski, I wouldn’t mind missing the cold.
If you are Jewish, why not take the kids to Israel to light the menorah or Hanukkiah and spend 8 days admiring the beauty of the country where the Maccabees had their military victory in 165 BCE that gave the Jews in Judea independence for 100 years. Even though Hanukkah is a minor festival, there are many Hanukkah activities in Israel or you can plan your own environmental tour to see the flora and fauna of the country. See here.
There is even something for the Moslems to celebrate in Israel at this time of the year. Check out the ” Holiday of Holidays Festival” a multicultural event marks Hannukah, Eid Al-Adha and Christmas in interfaith harmony that is held in Haifa- a city where harmony among the different religions reign. Part of this event could be a visit to the beautiful Baha’i gardens. See here.
People of all religions and those of no religion could enjoy the gardens of Israel. Here is the list of the top 10 public gardens:
So if it is not too late to decide to surprise your family make reservations for the holiday to the place where major religions had their origins; or if you want to give the gift of visiting those sites anytime of the year or as the place where you will celebrate the holidays in 2012 check out the Israeli Tourism page. Perhaps my dream will become your reality.
And please, if you go, send the readers of TheGardenLady your photos of the flora you see. Thanks
A happy holiday season to all.