Hanukkah {+ a giveaway!}

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

With the kids jinglebelling

And everyone telling you "Be of good cheer!"

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

I love the holiday season. I love the snow, the icicles, houses lit up with lights, silver bells, the music, and the Abominable Snow Monster. There is something magical about this time of year that people have been trying to vocalize for a long time now. I personally celebrate Christmas but I thought it'd be neat to highlight other holidays and traditions that happen throughout the month of December.







HANUKKAH








A few thousand years ago, Judaism was forbidden and the temple was looted and desecrated. I believe it was only a few years later that the Jews were able to successfully take back the government and their temple from the Greek-Syrians. After the temple was cleaned, they searched for the proper oil to burn at the menorah which was supposed to burn all night every night. All that was found was one small bottle that would only last one single day. It would take eight days to make more oil. They lit the menorah anyway and it miraculously burned for eight days. To commemorate this miracle, Hanukkah and its eight-day festival was born. Because it follows the Hebrew calendar instead of our modern calendar, the dates of Hanukkah change annually. This year it felt early beginning in November and ending December 5. Next year, it will be December 16-24.



Hanukkah is known as both the Festival of Lights due to the lighting of the menorah and the Feast of Dedication due to the rededication of the temple.

 





Lights on the Menorah are lit each night progressing to all eight being lit on the final evening of Hanukkah. I have always wondered why there were nine lights on the Menorah when Hanukkah was eight days. As it turns out, it is for the practical purpose of providing extra illumination. The most frequently seen menorah has one light set higher than the rest with four lights on the left and four lights on the right of it. However, the one light can also be set lower than the others. Or the eight lights are in a row with the one light at one end.



Each evening, after the candles are lit, hymns are sung and blessings are recited. One English version of a hymn reads:

We light these lights for the miracles and the wonders, for the redemption and the battles that you made for our forefathers, in those days at this season, through your holy priests. During all eight days of Hanukkah these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make ordinary use of them except to look at them in order to express thanks and praise to Your great Name for Your miracles, Your wonders, and Your salvations.

Due to the importance of menorah oil, it has become a custom to eat foods prepared in oil. Latkes (potato pancakes served with applesauce and sour cream), fritters, sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts), and bunuelos (doughnuts dipped in honey).









Besides the menorah, another common Hanukkah symbol is the dreidel. This top has flat sides with a Hebrew word on each side. It is used to play a game in which everyone has the same number of markers (coins, raisins, chocolate, etc). There is a pot where everyone puts one of their markers to begin the game. You spin the top and whichever side the dreidel it lands on tells you what action you may take (put something in the pot, take half of the pot, do nothing for example!). The winner is usually the person who wins everything. Another game is where you guess which side the dreidel will land on.



YOUR TURN
Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win small surprise prize. Do you celebrate Hanukkah? Which holiday or tradition would you like to be featured? What is your favorite holiday tradition? What's the weather like for you? I'm surrounded by snow in the midwest USA! Don't wait though because comments for the small prize will only be accepted until tomorrow when I choose a winner! Your comments (even comments given after a winner for the small prize has been chosen) will also be entered for a chance to win a grand prize!