Traditions associated with Hanukkah celebrations
Come December, the holiday season has hit full swing. Celebrants of various faiths and backgrounds participate in holiday celebrations, which are unique to each faith.
Although Hanukkah is a relatively minor holiday on the Jewish religious calendar, it has enjoyed a greater share of fanfare in recent years.
That popularity is perhaps due to the proximity of Hanukkah to another major December celebration featuring a bearded fellow in a red suit.
Hanukkah isn’t mandated by the Torah and isn’t even mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Rather, it was created by the ancient rabbis.
Judaism is one of the world’s oldest and most influential religions. World Population Review estimates there were approximately 15.2 million Jews worldwide in 2021.
Many likely will participate in Hanukkah celebrations. Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of Kislev each year. This year, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Dec. 7 and ends on the evening of Dec. 15.
Here are some Hanukkah traditions.
Lighting the menorah
Participants will light a special nine-pronged menorah, sometimes called a hanukkiah. It is practice to light one candle per night to recall the miracle of the sacred lamp oil that lasted for eight days during the rededication of the Temple.
The ninth candle (shammash) is used to light the others. Lighting the menorah has been a primary ritual for at least 1,800 years. Lit menorahs are placed in prominent locations, including front windows in homes.
Playing dreidel
There are various stories about the origins of the dreidel, but historians say the first mention in Jewish writings did not occur until the 18th century.
The four sides of the dreidel are marked with different letters, which in German are G “ganz” (all), H “halb” (half), N “nischt” (nothing) and S “schict” (put).
This dictates whether the player who spun the dreidel gets all, half or nothing in the collective coin pot, or has to put in his own.
Yiddish is quite similar to German, and the letters on the dreidel also correspond to the first letters of the Yiddish phrase “nes gadol haya sham,” which translates to “a great miracle happened here,” a reference to the Hanukkah miracle.
Time at home
Unlike other Jewish holidays, Hanukkah is celebrated primarily at home rather than in a synagogue.
This means that family time is a big component of Hanukkah celebrations, which include singing songs, praying and cooking foods.
Fried dishes
Eating dishes cooked in oil is another commemoration of the miracle of the oil. Potato pancakes called latkes and jelly doughnuts may be served during Hanukkah celebrations.
Giving gelt and gifts
Gelt was the gift of coin that would be given out to independent workers come Hanukkah as an end-ofyear gratuity. Later it became a way to offer small tokens to children.
Today’s gelt is typically discs of chocolate wrapped in foil to resemble coins.
Many families also give gifts during Hanukkah, particularly on the sixth night. But Hanukkah gift-giving generally is not to the extent of gift-giving in other religions.
Gifts may be monetary but also can include gifts of time.