As a Muslim child growing up in England, I along with many of my friends suffered from a strange annual ailment that invariably flared up a month or so before December and was quite debilitating. Only recently an American Rabbi friend revealed she was a fellow survivor, proffering a fitting title for it - 'Christmas Envy.'
Today, there are still captive communities all over the country that can't escape the weeks of relentless build-up before the mother of all holidays unleashes a national blast of joy, bursting with shots of bonhomie and endless festivities. The schadenfreude remains acute while observing beautifully boxed gift sharing and glittering decorations that illuminate homes, public buildings, community parks and city centers.
