Gimpel Beynish the Matchmaker
(Gimpl Beynish der Shadkhn)
Yiddish Comics of the early 20th century

See how the Jewish family, surrounded by Christmas, was struggling even at the start of the 20th century. Why wouldn't Motke and Notke want the pretty things the goyish holiday offers?

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December 24, 1914: If he had a frustrating Hanukah, then somebody else is going to have a frustrating Christmas.

1. Motke: Do you see here? It's Santa Claus with a Christmas tree.
   
2. Notke: Let's buy this Christmas tree, we'll decorate it like the one in the book.
   
3. GB: Here's a new heshayne* my loafers have discovered. A new insanity.
   
4. Notke: Don't you know what this is? It's a Christmas tree, you know.
   
5. GB: Out of here, loafers, with your goyish things. Now it's Christmas trees no less.

* Gimpel refers to his sons' Christmas tree as a new insane sort of heshayne, a bundle of willow twigs struck against the ground five times during Sukkot. Outside of the holiday it's usually used this way: er zet oys vi an opgeshlogene heshayne, "he looks like a bunch of willow twigs that's been thrashed till it's limp."

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Labels: holidays, yinglish