Almost everyone is feeling cabin fever these days, making it the perfect time to get away and enjoy the great outdoors without leaving the country. There's nothing like taking a deep breath of crisp cold air on the peak of a Colorado mountain before leaping off into the powdery snow.

The best thing about visiting Colorado is the abundance of options that can quickly fill a one- or two-week vacation here. Denver is the premier starting and stopping point. This city can delight every one of all ages, and why not begin the adventure with a pampering spa treatment at the Ritz Carlton, where the aromas of vanilla, rosewood, and cedar will refresh your senses. After sampling just some of what this great city offers, the mountains beckon.
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I hope you all have a very happy holiday!  We are coming to the close of 2020. I know many of us cannot wait for this year to be over, but there is always something to cherish from the year gone past.  For me, it was time to connect with my girls and my parents.  As we reflect on what 2020 brought to us both personally and professionally, we can focus on the positive things, bless the negative, and move forward.  There indeed were challenges, but through challenge comes resilience and strength.  
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Well, here we are in the week before Christmas 2020. Despite the chaos and uncertainty of the year, the holidays came quickly. I hope everyone is ready for the holidays.  This year’s Christmas traditions will look different for all of us. We will miss our Christmas Eve together with my parents, my girl’s Nana, and aunts, uncles, and cousins.  But my girls and I plan to begin a new tradition on Christmas eve of making pasta for us to enjoy on Christmas Day.  
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​Our holidays may feel quieter this year, but that’s all the more reason to try to make them even more special. Both Hannukah and Christmas are a chance to celebrate and be thankful for our loved ones - even if we can’t necessarily see them all this year. 

I’m optimistic that soon, we will be able to travel again. In the meantime, I’ve rounded up some of the most interesting holiday traditions from around the world. Perhaps you can work some of these into your own celebrations this year.

Colombia

Some Jewish communities in Colombia, such as Chavurah Shirat Hayyam, have started introducing patacones to the Hannukkah feast. These fried plantains have replaced the classic latkes.