Why I OVER DO Hanukkah

Growing up Jewish in Israel, Hanukkah was a holiday celebrated by all for eight days.  Every night, we would light one new candle on the Hanukiah (candelabrum) and afterwards gather around with family and sing Hanukkah songs ( mostly off-beat and off-key with the exception of my mom).  On one or two nights during the holiday, a special dinner will be held where we would eat traditional Hanukkah food like latkes with apple sauce or sour cream and anything else that is fried or baked in oil. Of course, everyone’s favourite is sufganiyot, a jelly filled donut without a hole in the centre. We’d also receive chocolate gelt (coins) and our grandparents would give us money as gifts.  I always enjoyed celebrating this holiday and while mundane, it was fun nonetheless.  I never thought much about the holiday until I came to Canada.

Enter Christmas!! Hanukkah might be known as the festival of lights, but Christmas still outdoes it. I mean, I’m practically blinded every night by my neighbours’ beautifully decorated houses and Christmas tree.  The lights on my Hanukiah fail in comparison. We may celebrate Hanukkah for several days but the amount of gifts kids receive in one day totally outdoes our eight days of celebrating.  Oh, you received Barbie, a Barbie car, a full Barbie kitchen, and a Barbie dream house? That’s cool…, I got $20 from my grandparents.

My kids however, get the best of both worlds.  In fact, they get in excess of the best of both worlds.  You see, I married a non-Jew.  While we decided to raise our kids Jewish, we still celebrate certain aspects of Christmas (mainly enjoying a big turkey family dinner and exchanging gifts).  However, having grown up in the “shadows” of Christmas, I always feel like I have to make a bigger deal of Hanukkah. I got my son his very own kid Hanukiah so he would love lighting the candles.  I get my son to help me make the latkes and the Sufganiyot so it’s more meaningful to him.  I let him eat a “donut” every night during Hanukkah because, you know, the guilt thing.  I buy tons of Hanukkah books and we start reading them months in advance of the holiday.  As soon as Halloween ends, the driedels (spinning tops) come out and child-friendly “betting” games ensue. And instead of money, I give my kids gifts, and tons of them.  Like one every night (and sometimes more).