If you haven't already, check out Belle Yang's most recent post -- helpful and fabulously illustrated.

My father taught at UCLA, and when I was a little girl I often spent a day with him on campus . The woman who played the campanile at lunch time worked in my father's department, and on the days I was there she'd play Oh Tannenbaum on the bells . It felt amazing to have the melody attached to my name roll out at noon -- such a public recognition, but one made in secret (no one else listening knew why Oh Tannenbaum played on a summer noon-time).

I appreciate people singing me the song less around Christmas. Partly because I'm Jewish, but mostly because everyone thinks he or she is the first to sing the carol when seeing my last name. It's a challenge to respond to what was kind in their thought .