![]() ![]() You never blow out Hanukkah candles, they have to burn down each night. Oh, and our menorahs aren't those big fancy things, they tend to be small and the candles my mom gets burn for about an hour. And, she got me rainbow candles and a new artsy menorah this year, which I thought was sweet. I got a Tao book I had on my amazon wishlist and my mom gets me a Peanuts (the comics strip) book every year. My dad gave me a book by a gay orthodox rabbi someone told him about, so he and I are going to read that. I usually get books, and gift cards (money is given in increments of $18 because 18 represents “chai” or life). Some people might find this lame but it's fun and I enjoy it. Then the night we all were finished with exams we did play Spin the Dreidel game for gelt (awesome Belgium chocolate coins). We sing the blessing and each light our own menorah. ![]() We each have our own menorah (or two to pick from, some we had made in school when younger and then my parents have a really pretty one they received for a wedding gift). She even made snow cookies (Jewish wedding cookies), chocolate spice cookies, and Hanukkah cutout cookies. ![]() Just to give you an idea of how things go, my mom fried chicken, latkes and breaded veggies (broccoli, red peppers and eggplant) one night. This year we selected a local children's hospital because one of my sisters read about the kids wanting tricycles to ride around the hospital. My sisters and I get together and select a charity, we have a charity box and we make donations all year (one of my sisters shakes down guests for their spare change) and then my parents match what we've collected. We do receive small gifts each night and my mom and dad do a charity challenge-match with us. So, we kind of started off low-key and really every family does something different. This year the first days landed in the middle of my finals and my two younger sisters' mid-term exams. So, my mom decorates our house in white, silver and shades of blue! It's really pretty and festive. So, the symbolism of the miracle of the small amount of oil that burned for eight days kind of reflects the rededication of the temple/covenant. Hanukkah always includes one Shabbat, the New Moon (Rosh Chodesh) and the eight days remind us of the bris (covenant of circumcision). It was much later that the holiday was rededicated and named Hanukkah to celebrate the miracle of another Jewish survival and victory from cultural assimilation! I was taught that it was originally a second Sukkot (kind of a thanksgiving for the harvest) and marked the time of year when days grew shorter. It's really a mishmash of different celebrations. Hanukkah really is a minor Jewish holiday but it's my favorite. ![]()
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