The history of Hanukkah gifts is rather brief. Though Jewish people have given food, wine, and gelt (a small amount of real, or more recently chocolate, money) to each other during Hanukkah for centuries, the giving of more material presents only evolved over the last 200 years or so. Hanukkah itself, meaning “dedication”, is an 8-day celebration to commemorate the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the defeat of the Greeks. During the rededication, the Jews had only enough oil to light the Menorah (a candle-holder with room enough for nine candles) for one day and it would take eight days to make more. Miraculously, the oil did last for eight days, and this is why the celebration of Hanukkah is eight days long.

Traditionally, Jews celebrate Hanukkah with friends and family. It is not a Holy Day and thus Jewish people are not excused from work or school. Nevertheless, each night people gather to light the Menorah, recite prayers, tell stories, and play dreidel. According to one theory, the history of Hanukkah gifts comes from the intermingling of Judaism and Christianity. As the gift-giving tradition at Christmas has strengthened, some Jewish people, and especially Jewish children, have found jealousy and disappointment at not also receiving gifts. Therefore, giving gifts at Hanukkah has become more of a custom among families with small children, though this practice is varies by individual and family.

History of Hanukkah Gifts: Ideas for Children and Adults

As the history of Hanukkah gifts is short, the tradition of giving gifts during Hanukkah is still evolving and typically involves only the children. Sometimes giving gifts during Hanukkah is a way to teach children about the history and meaning of the holiday itself. For example, a small gift might be given on each of the eight nights and one gift might be gelt, in the form of chocolate-shaped coins. One might also give gelt in increments of 18 or totaling $18, since the two numbers that correlate with the two letters for chai (“life”) add up to eighteen. Other ideas include giving a Menorah, a wooden or crystal dreidel, a Jewish-themed gift basket or jewelry or book, or a subscription to a Jewish magazine.

The most important thing to remember when considering giving gifts during Hanukkah is: you must check with an individual’s or a family’s customs for celebrating Hanukkah. Gifts may be inappropriate altogether; a family might open one gift on the first or last night; a family may dedicate each night to a different family member. As a gift-giver, you must research your recipient(s) in order to choose the most personal and respectful gift.