My kids love Hanukah. All kids do. But somehow I think our celebration is a bit different than many.
We don't do a lot of gifts. With all the family in the US, many gifts arrive as checks to be spent after the holiday, so there's not a lot to open. We buy only one or two gifts for the kids, usually a large gift they have to share, and something special for each of them.
When there are gifts, and even when there were lots of gifts, we opened everything the first night. It makes a crazy first night, but the rest of the holiday is focused on it's meaning- Jewish pride. We light candles, sing songs, listen to Hanukah music, and eat lots and lots and lots of fried food. The kids debate the messages, history, and mythology of the Hanukah story, making me very proud.
Keren is our hanukiyah setter-upper. Each person lights his/her own hanukiyah. Since everyone seems to have accumulated multiple hanukiyot, she asks each person which one s/he is lighting that night. I help carry them out to our enclosed porch. Keren then sets up the candles, carefully choosing colors and designs for the candles. Tonight was the evening of the green shammash. She carefully chose colors for each hanukiyah, then picked out six (yes, six!) green candles for each person's shammash. Last night was blue night- all blue candles. In our house that's 12 blue candles (including shammashim) just for the first night.
We light our candles on our enclosed porch. We place a table in front of the window with foil covered baking sheets for the hanukiyot. Windows from the porch into the house allow us to light our hanukiyot (six this year) then lock them safely in a room where the light can be looked upon, but the candles cannot be bumped.
Each night features a fried food.
Day one always has latkes.
Day two this year featured Chinese food: fried chicken wings, spring rolls, chicken dough balls, and general tao's chicken.
Day three (Shabbat) will have latkes, potato and sweet potato, plus tempura.
Day four is the Pride of Israel Hanukah party- latkes and sufganiyot.
Day five will be our havurah Hanukah party- latkes, sufganiyot, and samosas. We'll also have cheese and nuts in honor of the story of Judith**, associated with Hanukah.
Day six will bring us schnitzel and pumpkin fritters.
By day seven I will be sick of oil, both physically and mentally, but still we'll continue. No plan yet for seven and eight, but ideas for zucchini pancakes, melawach, and cheese latkes, maybe even funnel cake or zeppolis.
Next week- diet!
**The custom of eating dairy and nuts comes from the story of Judith. According to legend, Judith saved her village from the Assyrians. The Assyrian army was besieging her village. Judith charmed her way into the enemy camp with a basket of cheese, nuts, and wine. She brought the food to the enemy general Holofernes (who is also said to be the general for Antiochus). Holofernes consumed increasing amounts of wine with the cheese, which was very salty. (Today, Syrian cheese is a very salty, but tasty cheese). Eventually Holofernes became so drunk he passed out. Judith beheaded him with his own sword, and brought his head back to her village in her basket. When the Assyrians discovered that their leader had been killed, they left. In this way Judith saved her people. It became traditional to eat dairy in honor of her bravery.
