Hanukkah is the eight-day Jewish holiday that celebrates a rededication of faith. It commemorates the rededication of the Temple by the Maccabees in 165 BC after the Syrians desecrated it. The eight days are marked by festival lights on a menorah; with each sunset comes the lighting of a new candle. It isn’t meant to be a socially distanced holiday, but will need to be that way in 2020 due to COVID.
Hanukkah 2020 starts on December 10 and runs through December 18. For many, celebrating this year will look a little different than in years past, with the CDC recommending to keep gatherings small and among only those who are in your same household. This will be a year where you don't want to host a dinner but instead keep things within your nuclear family.
“Tell kids how special it is to be all together,” mom of seven Sara Chana Silverstein told Mom.com. This can help kids weary of the lockdown better understand that they aren’t alone and it’s part of their history. She continued, “During the Hanukkah story, the Maccabees stayed in a cave together and got along beautifully. Try to imagine what our warriors of old experienced!”
Traditional food at Hanukkah
What to do about Hanukkah gifts
Getting gelt is thought to be a symbol of the holiday because the independence gained by Jewish ancestors meant they could make their own coins. Gifts were not part of the Maccabees story. In fact, gift giving is a new tradition for Jews. It is said to have started in the 1950s to help post-Holocaust Jewish children feel happy to be Jewish when the holiday competes with Christmas and Santa Claus giving children presents.
It can be hard for parents to not get lost in trying to make Hanukkah like Christmas. But while giving your children gifts for the holiday, remember the spirit of the holiday is in the miracle of the oil and the success of the Maccabees. Remind your children that they are not missing out on Christmas, but are instead able to celebrate a grand history passed down from one generation to the next.
That isn’t to say that you can’t give gelt and a special present or two during the holiday week. If you choose to give a gift for every night of Hanukkah, think about making them something meant to be done as a family, such as a board game. By making the holiday about the traditions instead of the gifts — especialy during these difficult times — you help your children find a deeper spiritual and family connection.
