(Part 2 of 4) Millions of Jewish families celebrated the first day of Hanukkah on Thursday night, but how are they observing it in the middle of a pandemic?
The coronavirus lockdown has taken a heavy toll on mental health, even in kids.
New research out of britain suggests depression is hitting children as young as seven.
Cbs' tina kraus reports.
Nats...cheering... hannah smith and her cheer squad were headed to the idaho state competition as defending champions.
But covid-19 cancelled the big event.
It was really just frustrating and like super hard because that's what we'd worked for all year long.
This normally super socialable 17 year old found herself isolated and alone.
I had no motivation for anything - even school work - i didn't care - i didn't get up and do anything.
Nats...empty classrooms a new study in britain shows that school lockdowns are having a big effect on children's mental health.
We found quite a substantial increase in ratings of depressive symptoms during lockdown.
Developmental psychologist duncan astle and his team tracked about 2-hundred elementary students before and after lockdown and found a 70 percent chance symptoms of depression got worse in isolation.
What the data suggests is you can't simply pluck a child from one context and isolate them from it without it having knock on consequences.
It's scary to watch your child enter into mentally a place that you don't know how to deal with..and not knowing what can happen...suicide is a very real threat.
One month into lockdown - hannah's suffered a devastating loss when her best friend took his own life.
Now she's planning to become a paramedic to help save other lives.
It really kind of also motivated me to keep going to succeed for the both of us and to live my life for the both of us to the fullest.
Nats..cheering she found help from counseling and cheering.... which she hopes may once again draw crowds in the new year.
Hannah says counseling was challenging to find during the lockdown - but it turns out her cheer coach is a licensed counselor who was able to help.
This evening marks the beginning of hannukah.
But the pandemic is forcing many people to rethink their holiday plans.
Michael george shows us how millions of jewish families are finding ways to celebrate while keeping safe and socially distanced.
For saul blinkoff, his wife and 4 kids, hannukah is about family.
But the usual big family gatherings are just too risky during a pandemic.
Saul says they'll still gather with family from across the country- but this time, it will be online.
Jewish families nationwide are finding ways to keep hannukah traditions in a very ÁuntraditionalÁ year.
Jason leivenberg of the jewish federation of los angeles says they've organized an 8-day hannukah festival called "infinite light"- a it's all virtual.
Leivenberg says during this difficult year, the joy and togetherness of the holiday are badly need.
The blinkoffs are showing that resilience- by changing their typical plans to sing at a nursing home.
Sharing the message of hannukah- at a time when that message is more important than ever.
Michael george, cbs news, new york.
This year, some synagogues are planning to remain closed during hannukah, encouraging families to celebrate safely at home.
It's not even december 25th yet, but santa claus is ÁalreadyÁ making christmas wishes come true.
Seven- year- old annalisse hocking of new hampshire wrote to the big man in the red suit asking him for just Áone thingÁ this christmas -- to find her friend nyla .
The two girls became best friends in school last year.
But when nyla's family moved, and the country went into quarantine, they lost contact.
Nikki battiste is in new york city's hudson yards neighborhood with this charming story.
Sot annalisse reading letter : dear santa, for christmas i would like it to be a surprise.
Please tell nyla that i miss her.
This priceless christmas wish from 7 year-old annalise hocking stood out when it arrived at the north pole last week.
: please tell her my address.
She simply wanted help finding her 8 year-old friend, nyla loftis.
: a lot of kids ask for toys.
Why did you want to ask to see your friend this year?
: i asked to see nyla because i really missed her.
The two girls became best friends last year, after nyla helped annalysse -- whose family was new in town -- feel welcome.
But when nyla's family moved away in february, the second graders lost touch... so annalisse turned to the one person who makes miracles happen.
Santa claus with a little help from annalisse's mom lesley posted a photo of the letter to facebook, asking if the community could help find nyla.
Over a hundred people responded.
: i was definitely crying a little bit because like, santa posted it on facebook and all these people had helped him.
: // it actually chokes me up right now // i was just amazed that a little girl would ask that.
Moms lesley and sarah knew they had to get their daughters together& so they planned a surprise meetup.
: // nyla poked her head up.
: annalisse: nyla?
: you were surprised?
: mhm.
: we hugged and i couldn't talk // i was speechless, i didn't know what to say!
: if you could say something to santa right now, i think he's listening.
What would you like to say?
: thank you for making my wish come true.
Lesley and sarah are grateful for all of santa's helpers who made their daughters' reunion possible.
: i think people in this time of year feel an extra sense of giving, // and i think this brought out the best in people in a lot of ways.
: sarah, how has is this all impacted nyla and your family because she is also in a new school now?
: it's been great seeing her smile because it's been so hard.
// this has definitely made her a little more cheerful // knowing that she still has her best friend.
In a difficult year, two best friends... reminding us of the simple joys this holiday.
Battiste outcue: annalise and nyla now facetime regularly and the families hope to get together again when the pandemic slows down.
Both girls have been remote learning, which made seeing each other extra special.
Nikki battiste, cbs news, new york.
When we return, the traditional sushi may be giving way to a more modern dish.
Mid morning will be right back.
(Part 4 of 4) We all know that it is better to give than to receive. Now the LEGO toy company is encouraging children to live by..
(Part 3 of 4) Sushi has never been more popular, but the closing of many traditional Japanese eateries has left the market..
