Chanukah

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do you traditionally give gifts for Chanukah?

The older custom is Chanukah gelt, coins given to children. Giving presents became widespread later, and today many families give gifts on some or all of the eight nights. Judaica that comes out every year, like a menorah, tray or brachos card, makes the gift part of the mitzvah.

What is a traditional Chanukah gift?

Gelt, dreidels and a menorah are the most traditional. A menorah is especially meaningful for a new couple or a boy lighting on his own for the first time. Feldart menorahs start at $90 in Leatherite and lucite designs.

What are good Chanukah gifts for adults?

Pieces for lighting and hosting: a menorah tray that protects the table from wax and oil, a Chanukah brachos card, a matchbox or oil jug, or a Chanukah table to display the menorah. Most of Feldart's Chanukah pieces are priced between $28 and $190.

What should you not bring to a Chanukah party?

If your hosts keep kosher, avoid homemade food or anything without a reliable hechsher they accept. A non-food gift for the house, like a brachos card or menorah tray, sidesteps the question and lasts beyond one night.

What are the main symbols of Chanukah?

The menorah, the oil that burned for eight days, and the dreidel. Many families also serve foods fried in oil, like latkes and sufganiyot, to recall the miracle of the oil.