Make your Hanukkah celebrations memorable
As the festive season rolls around and shops go Christmas-crazy it can be hard to escape the onslaught of tinsel, crackers and figgy puddings, making it tricky to find the kind of holiday treats and accessories you’re looking for.
But with some forward planning and a few great tips you can guarantee your Hanukkah celebrations are special this year.
Feasting during the festival of lights
In 2015, the Jewish festival of lights takes place between 6 and 14 December and on each of the eight nights, it’s traditional to light candles on a menorah. On the first night, one candle will be lit. On the second, two will be lit and so on, until the eight nights when all candles will shine. Most families like to gather together for the lighting of the candles on each of the eight evenings to swap gifts, sing songs and play games.
For some great tips and tricks for boosting your Hanukkah menu, check out the excellent selection of articles, recipes and videos on the Food Network. It lists some great traditional methods as well as some new spins on old favourites. You’ll also find some folks sharing their favourite dishes on the All Recipes site, which is a nice place to find family recipes. And, if you need to stock up on ingredients, Kosher Kingdom is a great UK shop for traditional items.
Getting the family together
In this busy, hyper-connected world, it can be tricky to gather the whole family together every evening during the celebrations, so why not add some extra incentives into the mix? This can be a great time of year for craft projects – you could try creating your own candles or decorations. Activity Village has some great downloads and cuts out for crafty little ones.
Or make the most of technology by downloading a few great apps to help you out. You’ll find everything from cooking and shopping guides to fun games for the kids in this top list of Hanukkah apps from App Advice. Alternatively, share your celebrations with as many people as possible and bring your family together by helping out at a soup kitchen or other charitable organisation before lighting your candles each night.
Hanukkah is a time for reflecting on light coming from the darkness, so celebrate it with the people you care about most and look for ways to make the world just a little bit better and brighter.
Do you celebrate Hanukkah? How do you make it memorable?
Rachel - Silversurfers Assistant Editor
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