Hi, it's Manouche, and this is New Tech City, and that is the sound of my kids opening

up presents on the first night of Hanukkah.

And coming soon, the Christmas present.

Between these two holidays, birthdays, the last day of school, the first day of school,

half birthdays, yom kippur, valentine's day, flag day, ah, but let's go on and on.

Let's just say it feels like there is a constant procession of battery operated toys

made in China walking through our front door.

And I worry that the incessant gift giving, in addition to being bad for the planet,

makes each event a little less special than it was when I was growing up.

Back when China was an agrarian society, and not a chauchko one.

So it's this time of year that I often think the solution is to scrap Christmas in Hanukkah,

declare winter solstice our family holiday, and celebrate with chocolate fondue.

Well, easy for me to say. I grew up with no religious affiliation,

though we did celebrate the part of Christmas with the tree in the presents.

Religion is just not part of my identity.

My better half, however, is Jewish, and that identity is what his family rallies around.

And sometimes it's just hard for me to get it.

But being the nosy person I am, I really like asking people how they grew up,

and whether they stuck with their religion, or if they didn't, why they left.

And so I asked Marielle Sagara.

She's a 20-something New Yorker trying to decide whether or not to return to Christianity.

And here's where the story turns to tech.

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