Ever since I can remember, Hanukkah has been my favourite holiday. The coziness of the lights, the smell of the latkes as they fry, the stories read aloud (my favourite being Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins). More than anything though, I love the traditions my family has built over the last 20+ years. Every family celebrates Hanukkah differently, so here is a guide to the way mine celebrates each of the eight nights.
On the first night of Hanukkah my family usually tries to go to our synagogue for a service. This is a beloved tradition because for us and our synagogue, community is of the highest priority. Being able to start the holiday off surrounded by friends is so special. We also light the menorah for the first time in a year, an element of the holiday that is a constant throughout each of the eight nights.
The second night – and my favourite – is book night for our family. As a family of readers, this is a night where we get each other a book. Whether it is a sports book for my brother or feminist literature for me, this is a great way to encourage each other’s reading and interests while also supporting our local bookstores.
The third night is another night for gifts, this time however it’s pyjamas that are being given. The festival of lights (Hanukkah’s nickname) generally falls in bitter December and there is truly nothing better to receive than a set of warm new pyjamas.
Night four is a very special night for our family. Charity night, as we call it, is a privilege that we are lucky to be able to celebrate. We are fortunate to honour this tradition each year, one where each family member is given a certain amount of money to donate to a charity of their choosing. This can be done through one larger donation or numerous separate ones. I am sure to donate money to the animal rescue from which we rescued our beloved dog. Other favourites include Planned Parenthood and Women’s Prison Association
Marking just over halfway point of the holiday is night five which comes with the game of Dreidel. Consisting of a small spinner with four Hebrew letters on it and M&Ms, this game can either last a whole evening or end with a huge argument about ten minutes after the start. Always fun though, this game of luck is a family favourite, for reasons I am sure have nothing to do with the exorbitant amount of chocolate consumed by each player.
Night six is another delicious night, this time with the traditional food of latkes. Made of fried potatoes, latkes are a treat that everyone should try at least once. Depending on schedules, we either make these from scratch or buy them pre-made. Dippings are an extremely important aspect of this meal, with sour cream and applesauce to choose from.
As we near the end of the eight nights, night seven comes and with it the “big present” night. The gifts given on this night can be new shoes, a sweater, or in my case a few more books.
The last night is one of the best nights, as it’s one during which we invite our friends over to experience some of the Hanukkah traditions. Usually non-Jewish friends are those asked and together we play dreidel, eat latkes, and of course share the story of Hanukkah and the magic oil that lasted eight nights.