Hanukkah Gifts
Hanukkah gifts

Celebrate the Festival of Lights - light the Hanukkah Menorah to commemorate the miracle of the oil and rededication of the Temple, enjoy latkes and jelly donuts, spin the dreidel and sing the dreidel song.  Find all that's needed to celebrate Hanukkah in style! Large selection of Hanukkah Menorahs and Hanukkah Gifts.

hanukkah gifts


Hanukkah gifts
Hanukkah holiday brings many pleasant moments to the Jewish family. This happy holiday commemorates the victories of our ancient heroes, the Maccabees. A few thousands years ago, a small Jewish army fought with determination the Greek empire that tried to force the Jews to abandon their religious faith. The Maccabbees led the Jewish nation into a miraculous victory that has resulted in the re-dedication of the holy temple.
To celebrate these great miracles, the Jewish tradition has several rituals and ritual objects that bring pleasure and joy. Hanukkah is celebrated with sparkling lights, fun games and Hanukkah gifts to commemorate the victory of the Maccabees who freed the Jewish people from their cruel oppressors.
The festive objects that include the famous Hanukkah menorah and the dreidels have become popular gifts that help us celebrate the holiday. Given Hanukkah's proximity to Christmas, it has become a popular custom in Western communities to give Hanukkah gifts to those who celebrate this happy holiday. Giving gifts of religious significance to your Jewish friends who are celebrating Hanukkah will send a thoughtful message from the giver and may even be regarded as a pleasant and much appreciated surprise. All you have to do is choose from this wide selection of Hanukkah gifts to show your solidarity with this festive Jewish holiday.
Considering the overwhelming selection of Hanukkah gifts on the web, you might ask yourself, how do I choose the right one? Following is a short guide to most popular Hanukkah gifts that are available today on the web.
The Hanukkah menorah:

Hanukkah is observed by the kindling of the lights on the special Hanukkah menorah (Channukyah) for eight successive days. Hanukkah menorah is probably the most popular item among Hanukkah gifts. More than 2000 years ago, King Antiochus, ruler of the Greek Empire, occupied the the land of Israel. King Antiochus commanded all Jews to abandon their faith and begin to worship the Greek gods instead. He took control over the second temple ruining all the Jewish signs and religious artifacts and filling it with images and statues of Greek gods. Meanwhile, in the land of Israel, a small group of determined Jewish soldiers gathered under the leadership of the Maccabees. Refusing to surrender, the Maccabees fought relentlessly for their religious freedom. A few good years of bloody battles finally ended with a great victory over the undefeatable Greek army.
The Macabbees promptly rededicated the sacred temple and removed all the Greek statues. The Maccabbees then proceeded with a ritual of lighting the holy Menorah of the newly dedicated temple - the eternal light that was used to be lit by the Kohanin, the high priests of the temple. To the Maccabbees' dismay, the amount of oil they discovered in the small jug of oil that was left there was clearly enough to last for one day only. But then a remarkable miracle happened and the oil kept the menorah lit for eight whole days. To commemorate this miracle, we continue to light the Hanukkah menorah during the eight days of the holiday. 

While a menorah might come as an obvious choice, there are so many unique designs out there that can easily turn it into an original and inspiring gift. A Hanukkah menorah comprised of dredeils as the candleholders is one example. Some Jewish families (myself included!) even collect them. Many Judaica designers have created Hanukkah menorahs from assorted materials such as wood, metals, glass and more. You can find a wide selection of designed Hanukkah menorahs in different shapes and styles, from classic to modern and from simple to complex. The prices range accordingly. As you go about selecting a menorah to fit your needs and likes, think of the purpose and intention – is it a gift to yourself, a friend, or maybe your hosts? What style do you think they would prefer, traditional or modern? Is the menorah intended as a gift for the holidays, a wedding, or a housewarming which may demand a more impressive design? Many contemporary Judaica artists have skillfully created Hanukkah menorahs in a plethora of original designs in affordable prices. Hanukkah menorahs will fill every Jewish home with light and joy for years to come.

Some Hanukkah menorahs are designed especially for kids. Many of the Hanukkah gifts are fit for children and reflect Hanukkah's joyful spirit. Dreidels are by far the favorite pick as children really enjoy spinning and play with them during the holiday. Dreidels are inscribed with four Hebrew letters that stand for "a great miracle happened there", bringing our attention to Hanukkah's great miracles. Several Judaica artists have turned this traditional game into a piece of art by creating dreidels in a wide range of original designs. You can also find mechanical dreidels that spin by themselves in great speeds. Other examples of popular and fun Hanukkah gifts are the chocolate coins imprinted with Hanukkah's symbols. Many people like to create Hanukkah baskets filled with driedels, chocolate coins, a bottle of wine or other symbolic objects. Need more ideas for fun Hanukkah gifts?  Just search the web (but be smart and selective!) and you can find some cool gifts like imprinted T-shirts, mugs, buttons, caps, bag – you can even create your own slogans. The options for original Hanukkah gifts are plenty, choose wisely.