Double-check your shopping list to make sure you have everything you need for a wonderful Hanukkah celebration. 
(Don't forget the latkes!)

Hanukkah, O Hanukkah, come light the menorah.
Let's have a party, we'll all dance the horah.
Gather 'round the table, we'll give you a treat.
Dreidels to play with and latkes to eat!

This popular song truly captures the spirit of Hanukkah, a fun winter festival which takes place between late November and late December each year. Hanukkah's eight days and nights are filled with activities, such as songs, games and stories and wonderful foods. The greeting for Hanukkah is "Hag Sameach" - Happy Holiday.

Hanukkah honors the struggle for religious freedom. The holiday commemorates an ancient time when the homeland of the Jews, now known as Israel, was ruled by Greeks. The Greeks threatened to eliminate the religious faith and customs of the Jewish people. At that time, a small band of Jews struggled to preserve their heritage against incredible odds. Today, Hanukkah, which means "rededication," emphasizes an annual rededication of Jewish heritage. For more information and ideas for a Hanukkah celebration, look at some home traditions below.

Home Traditions

Menorahs. 

The central symbol for Hanukkah is light. Legend asserts that once Jerusalem was freed from Greek rule, the people wished to celebrate by rekindling the flame of eternal light that had previously burned inside the Temple for Jewish belief and practice. Although there was only enough oil for one day, it miraculously lasted for eight days. Today, Menorahs are lit for eight days to commemorate this event.

A menorah is a nine-branched candelabrum. Eight candles or oil holders are for the eight nights of the holiday, and the ninth holder is for the shamash, the light used to ignite the others.

Menorahs can be made from a wide selection of nonflammable materials, including glazed ceramics, copper, silver, brass, stone, glass and pewter. They can vary in size and shape. Some people enjoy using a very ornate or expensive menorah; others use a very simple one, or even one homemade by a family member. Wherever the menorah comes from, all menorahs are priceless in their symbolism. Read below to learn more about the ritual of lighting the menorah.

Lighting the menorah

Lighting the menorah takes place soon after nightfall, or as soon as the household is together. On Friday night, the Hanukkah candles are lit first, followed by the Shabbat candles, as traditionally fire is not created on the Sabbath itself.

• The "shamash," or serving candle, is lit first and then used to light the others.
   
• On the first night of the holiday, the first candle is placed on the far right side of the menorah as you stand facing it.
   
• Each candle should reflect the number of nights of the holiday thus far. On each night following the first night, add a candle to the left of the previous night's candle. For example, on the second night, add one candle to the left of the first night's candle, so two candles will glow.
   
• The candles are lit each evening, starting from the left side to the right, always lighting the current night's candle first. For example, on the third night of Hanukkah, light candle number three first, then two, and finally, one.
   
• After lighting the other candles, replace the shamash in its holder.

Hanukkah Blessings

These meditations may be recited before candle lighting:

• "Today we thank God for all the goodness in our lives, for the beauty of nature, for the love we feel for one another, for the Hanukkah tradition."
   
• "May our celebration increase the light of freedom in the world."

Activities

Because Hanukkah is celebrated for eight nights and the ritual requirements are simple, the holiday celebration can be enhanced by trying various activities on different nights. Here are some ideas:

• Throw a neighborhood party.
  Decorate, make holiday foods, emphasize the celebration through song, stories, skits and games.
   
• Game night.
  Play dreidel, the four-sided top whose sides are marked by four letters of the Hebrew alphabet that stand for "A Great Miracle Happened Here." Gather nuts, toothpicks, sweets or pennies and divide the ante among two to six players. Each person places one ante in the center of the circle. Take turns spinning the dreidel. If it falls on:
  a) The Hebrew letter "nun," the player gets nothing.
  b) The Hebrew letter "gimmel," the player takes all from the   center pot, and now all the players must replenish the center pot with one ante each.
  c) The Hebrew letter "hay," the player gets half the center pot.
  d) The Hebrew letter "shin," the player puts in one ante from his/her stash.
  The winner is the one who has the most at the end of the game. You may end the game at any predetermined time you wish.
   
• Hanukkah photo night.
  Document the Hanukkah celebrations in your home. Give each household member an empty album and have each person gather pictures to make albums. This is a wonderful way to document your family history.
   
• Make a "tzedakah" night, for "charity begins at home."
  Collect the money that might have been used for gifts on one night, and decide as a family: "Where can we make a difference? What individual or agency can benefit most from this gift?"
   
• Cooking night.
  Make latkes or kugel from scratch. Or, just buy a roll of already made sugar cookie dough, and cut the cookies out in Hanukkah shapes.
   
• Decorations.
  You can make decorations or purchase them. Homemade decorations could include banners or construction paper with cut-out menorah and dreidel shapes glued on. Or, cut out six-pointed Jewish stars from felt or paper and hang them up in your living room.
   
• Songs.
  There are many favorite songs to sing for this holiday. You may wish to look through a Hanukkah song book for more, but this one has always been a favorite with young children:

Flicker little candle,
Flicker bright for Hanukkah.
Flicker little candle,
all eight nights of Hanukkah!
Little tops are spinning,
'round and 'round on Hanukkah.
Little tops are spinning,
Hanukkah is here!

• Gifts.
  In previous generations, children received Hanukkah gelt - money - from all relatives. Nowadays, some families choose to give gifts on some (but not always all) evenings.