Christmas is one day of the year, while Hanukkah is eight days. When people think of December, they merely think of Santa and snowflakes, rarely dreidels and doughnuts.
For those who don’t know, Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of Lights that, in short, celebrates the miracle of recapturing the Second Temple in Jerusalem and finding a jar of olive oil that was supposed to burn for one day, but lasted for eight. During Hanukkah, people light a menorah, which has nine branches, eight symbolising each night spent in the temple and one helper candle used to light the others.
To remember the miracle of the oil, fried foods are also eaten. For example, sufganiyot: jelly-filled doughnuts. Dreidel is also played in remembrance; the four Hebrew letters on the sides of the spinning top mean a great miracle happened there.
Through multireligion households, children can experience both Christmas and Hanukkah.
“I love gift giving, I see it as the more the merrier,” said Marshfield High School math teacher Tanya Goodson. “My kids get nine days of presents; they make out like bandits.”
Kids growing up in an entirely Jewish home may have a less magical experience. Classmates and friends asking questions like, “What did you get for Christmas?” can make it feel expected and implied that you celebrate a Christian holiday. That is not always the case.
“I get asked this all the time, even today I got asked, ‘Why don’t you just ask for it for Christmas?’” said sophomore Nevaeh Bettiga. “It was a little awkward, but I just said I don’t celebrate Christmas.”
Even children are expected to participate in Christmas concerts, pointed out sophomore August Nelson. Despite not celebrating Christmas, he has sung at one of these concerts. Even though Hanukkah is heavily overshadowed by Christmas, it is still celebrated each year. Nelson said that he has celebrated Hanukkah every year for as long as he can remember.
Considering they are very different holidays based on different beliefs, some practices and traditions are similar. Both holidays are during the wintertime with family gatherings and gift giving, and the exchanging of gifts. Both holidays promote goodwill and generosity. During Christmas, people make and eat gingerbread houses, hang decorative lights on their homes, and prepare gifts for one another. During Hanukkah, people make latkes (potato pancakes), light their menorah, and exchange gifts.
There’s even a television show character named Hanukkah Harry, who appeared on SNL in December 1989. This skit was titled, The Night Hanukkah Harry Saved Christmas, and was sponsored by Hallmark Cards. The plot was that Santa had fallen ill with stomach flu and was unable to deliver gifts to the children, so he called in his friend Hanukkah Harry. Hanukkah Harry’s sleigh consisted of a cart pulled by three donkeys, Moische, Herschel, and Schlomo. Upon climbing down the chimney of two children, Scott and Christine, he offers them gifts of slacks, socks, chocolate coins, and a dreidel.
“I don’t mind Hanukkah being overshadowed by Christmas because my family celebrates ‘Christmukkah’ and I get to decorate for both and give gifts for both,” said Goodson. “I even have Hanukkah wrapping paper and Hanukkah Christmas ornaments.”
