Hanukkah Gifts

Hanukkah is a cultural holiday in Jerusalem and is, of course, celebrated by the Jewish people. This is celebrated with a gift-giving ceremony for their loved ones. According to history, American Jews was believed to have trade blessings during another Jewish holiday called Purim. However, it was in the late 19th century when instead of celebrating Purim, it was changed to Hanukkah. 

Another part of that shift in custom was because of the development of industrialism. Thanks to that holiday, industrialism flourished. Who would want to get behind the flourishing improvement in the country?

In celebrating Hanukkah, there are various customs viewed and practiced. These include the lighting the menorah, eating foods cooked in oil and even playing the dreidel.  Hanukkah gift giving may have been influenced by another kind of custom called Hanukkah gelt. This custom is done by giving money, but today it was done by giving chocolate coins.  Whether it was also influenced by it or by their other custom, Hanukkah gelt had been adopted and practiced. Another custom is called blessing giving, and this custom is entirely new in addition to the customs during Hanukkah.

Giving of gelt was said to have been practiced when “gelt” was given to educators maybe as a sign of respect and thanks to those people. This custom was also proposed to have etymological and semantic connections of two Hebrew words. It may have been associated with “Hanukkah” which means “devotion” and “hinnukh,” another word that means “instruction.” Those connections may have proven true as there are some groups of Jewish people who, in celebration of Hanukkah season, this is also the time to recognize the efforts of their religious educators.

It is known that religious educators are prohibited from accepting payment for the teaching of the Jewish bible. To recognize the efforts being given by them, parents or guardians will then give cash to their children and let them hand it to their educators.  Researchers suggested that eventually the children had now been used to asking for the gelt (maybe this is also the reason why chocolate coins are now given to kids these days).

Jewish Parents and Hanukkah Gift Giving

Today, modern Jewish families preferred giving their children with Hanukkah gelt or cash gifts. According to them, it is more inclined to their tradition. Since it takes eight days of lighting the menorah, some parents would then be giving a dollar. This is done every night after the candle is lighted. One dollar will be given for the first day then two dollars for the second day and so on until the eight days.

For families who have several children, this gift idea is very promising. Parents would then need to give their child a total of $36. Through this, parents are also teaching their children to save and be thrifty. There are toy stores that children can go and buy something with that money on hand.

Getting Gifts and Gelts

There is also another deeper meaning behind the Hanukkah celebration. Another researcher suggests that the exchanging of gifts during this Jewish holiday was to make the post-Holocaust Jewish children at least happy. But for American Jewish families, some would have ended up giving two gifts per child.

However, there is seems to be a problem with the gift-giving nowadays especially in terms of the costs. That is why there are families who instead of giving two, they make it one for the whole family some would buy a device for the whole family, or they would be going on a family trip. Well, that ide is truly family-oriented and budget-saver.

Making Hanukkah More Meaningful

Even though, presents may influence Hanukkah that appears to be a Jewish type of holiday. It is still best to set aside that influence. Exert more effort to choose an insightful and elegant present for a youngster you cherish.  It is even great to know that you can see the joy and eagerness of your child to experience to be played. It is best to give them toys that will help them to learn and grow better.

Aside from giving gifts, families should be guided when giving endowments, yet additionally, need to evade unreasonable realism. It is highly recommended for the whole family to be involved in lighting the candles.  This is to show respect equity or harmony, or discussion about what brings light into one’s life or what puts in this world need all the more light. Indeed, even with blessing giving, special family festivals can in any case plan to encourage social awareness.

Some people find giving gifts every night to be no longer part of the Jewish tradition. It was like regarded to be a foreign custom. Instead of celebrating tzedakah, some parents would let their children select the toys that they no longer use. Then they will be donating those children who needed it most. Some parents would still be giving gifts during the Hanukkah, but it would come from different people. A few years they may get something consistently yet one night it was from the parents, one night from their neighbor, and on other night, a book from a book sale will be given.

Even Small Gifts Matters

Just like those modern Jewish parents, you can consider giving a chance for your friends or relatives to be part of the eight evenings. Even the smallest gifts matters like giving books.  There are other gift ideas that your children can choose. Choosing prepackaged games to play as a family is another great idea. As a parent, it is best to make this special holiday to be a holiday of gift giving and more time for the family.

Also attempting to save some of one’s budget is not bad – remember that not everyday abundance of stuff. Your kids might be astonished to discover that the custom of present giving is to a great extent American.

Why Is Hanukkah Important for the Jewish People?

Since you are informed that Hanukkah is a celebration where the Jewish people celebrate as a yearly celebration, here are the reasons why the Hanukkah celebration is important for the people of Israel.

At most Jewish homes, the custom of lighting candelabra with eight branches or menorah is being practiced. It symbolizes either the military triumph as well as the miracle that is oil-based said to have happened after winning the battle. There are traditional foods that are being prepared and eaten during these special days. In Southern Europe, Jewish families would be eating Baklava or jelly doughnuts.

While in Eastern Europe, potato pancakes are being cooked oil. Jewish people would also play the lower type of a gambling game called dreidel. It will be spun like a top and players will bet on which of the four sides of the toy will be shown. Hanukkah commends the nullification and inevitable thrashing of Yavan, or Hellenistic Greece/Persia.

In the wake of vanquishing Israel, the Greeks invested a great deal of energy and exertion attempting to get the Jews to acclimatize to their way of life. This is the clearer occasion in which the Jewish protection from osmosis is commended. Some portion of the story is how after returning to the Temple, the ministers could discover one day of the oil used to light the Menorah.

The issue was about taking nine days until they could get more. Be that as it may, an extraordinary marvel occurred, and the oil was continued to flow until more came. Along these lines, Hannukah is praised by lighting reproduction Menorahs, singing about the occasions, lighting menorahs while singing about the occasions, and play “Dreidel.”

It exhibits how a reliable few can win against the chances, and by putting confidence in God, you will find that he is as yet present on the planet.