Chanukah Traditions and Foods :)

My father was a Rabbi, so it was a much anticipated holiday. We would make menorahs out of clay at school.The big fancy one was never used. My mother would always have angst about the wax on the black marble hearth. Daddy would have little gifts in his pockets for each night. Crayons, jacks, pick up sticks, gelt etc. It was really never about the gifts,more about the story and the songs. We loved Mommy's special latkes.

I tried to keep it the same for my kids, simple and fun.

When my kids were little, my mom would throw the best Chanukah parties--my husband always said she put the "Ch" in Chanukah!--everyone was invited--not just family, but my dear friends, whose parents were no longer with us, and their kids. Each child had a turn to light a candle on the menorah and my mom took great joy in making sure every child got a present. Her latkes, not from scratch but purchased by the bag from Pathmark, weren't round, they were triangular. When my two youngest kids were in nursery school, they cried when the teacher made latkes for the class at Chanukah. When she asked them why they were upset, they sobbed, "Those aren't latkes! Latkes are shaped like triangles!"

Loopy, that is the cutest story. Love how kids perceive things.

Dreidel spinning!

I am not Jewish, but my DH is. No one particularly likes latkes in my family (including my husband), so if anyone has any suggestions or a recipe or other foods I could try, I would appreciate it! DH is no help! (Love him anyway)

We light the menorah. It is on the granite countertop in the kitchen, on a piece of cardboard covered with aluminum foil. We do use candles still, but since it is in the hub of the house where everyone is, there is always someone to keep an eye on it. Although they are teens, my kids still get into the dreidl and gelt.

Hi Vamp.

In Isreal and some communties it is anything fried in oil. Lots of families do donuts. I have never tried to make them. How about potato chips or some other lovely greasy food.

One thing I forgot about is that we alway would pick a candle to bet on. The one whose candle burned the longest would win. No prize just the fun of it.

Hi everyone,

I am not Jewish and did not grow up observing Chanukah. Two dear friends of mine are Jewish, and I have been privileged to be apart of their celebrations.

I have helped make honey cookies, latkes and donuts.

My son and I learned how to play the dreidel game. The winner won gelt.

When my son was about 3 1/2, he decided he wanted a menorah in our home. He gathered 9 single candles, I had in the windows around the house, and put them all in his window. Every night, he turned one more on.....just like our friends' houses were doing.