December is here which means everyone is getting ready for Christmas. Well, not everyone. About 0.2 percent of the world’s population is preparing for Hanukkah which starts on Saturday, Dec. 8 at sundown.
On Hanukkah, Jewish people play traditional games such as “dreidel” and spend time with their families. Most people make potato latkes, which are like crunchier patties of hash browns. They also light candles every night, one for each day of the holiday that has passed.
Other than eating potato pancakes and lighting the candles of the menorah every night, Jewish people exchange gifts during Hanukkah. Each Jewish family gives gifts in different ways, and many friends of Jewish people aren’t sure what to give them.
One way that families give gifts is by giving one small gift each of the eight nights of the holiday. Most of the gifts range from five to ten dollars and are usually things such as socks, candy, movies or gift cards.
Though most Jewish families follow this method when their children are young, these medium sized gifts would be reasonable for anyone to give to Jewish friends. If you aren’t sure about what to get your Hanukkah-celebrating friend, just get them whatever they would give you for Christmas. Whatever you give them, they will appreciate it.
Now that the gift is purchased, it needs to be wrapped. Wrapping paper or bags containing gifts for Jewish people could be blue, the color on the Israeli flag, or could just have a simple winter or “happy holidays” design. Everyone loves a smiling snowman protecting their winter holiday gifts.
If you want to give a card with your Hanukkah gift, it would be appropriate to write “Happy Hanukkah” on the outside. Decorations could be pictures of menorahs, or candle holders, as well as the spinning toy called a dreidel used to win chocolate coins named gelt. A great card with a medium sized gift guarded by a snowman will bring joy to the recipient.
