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in Blog on November 28, 2021 by Katherine DeVries

How We Do Hanukkah

By Katherine DeVries | @thepaperdart

Hanukkah is just around the corner! And although a part of me always dreads this holiday, because eight days of celebration feels like a lot, it’s also super important to me to make a big deal out of it. Because while my family identifies as religiously Jewish, we’re also culturally interfaith, and we celebrate many traditional Christian holidays (Christmas included), in addition to all of the Jewish ones. 

While I love Christmas (I’m writing this on November 4th, and Christmas music is already well integrated into my family’s daily routines), I don’t always love how thoroughly it overshadows Hanukkah. In our community, participation in Christmas rituals and traditions is assumed—by teachers, friends, neighbors, and even strangers we encounter on the street. My daughter is only four, and she has already had to correct more than one stranger, by telling them that Hanukkah, not Christmas, is the next big holiday in the lineup for her (she’s a picky eater, so Thanksgiving doesn’t count). 

And while it really is tough to beat Santa, and Christmas cookies, and Miracle on 34th Street, I try my best to make Hanukkah magical, too, in hopes that my kids can take pride in and enjoy the Jewish sides of their identities, and possibly even share with those same teachers, friends and neighbors, just how awesome this holiday can be. 

So here’s a breakdown of how my interfaith family celebrates Hanukkah—including some of the crafts, rituals, toys and foods that make the holiday special for us. I hope you enjoy it, and find something you can incorporate into your traditions, as well!

DIY Hanukkah Decor

Preparing for the holidays is half the fun, and Hanukkah is no exception. I love the look of homemade decorations—especially when they’re made by toddlers with very poor fine-motor skills. My absolute favorite homemade Hanukkah decorations are the menorahs my kids and I have made out of toys, blocks, or whatever else we could get our hands on that year.

Making a menorah is super simple, and requires only a few supplies (see below). You can make them out of pretty much anything, but over the past two years, we’ve had a blast using letter blocks, and hot-wheel cars. 

We also decorate our own dreidels every year, using these blank, wooden dreidels as a starting point, and this year, my four-year-old is old enough to write the Hebrew letters on herself!

And last year, my family decorated our playroom with this “paper doll” dreidel chain, and this felt “Hanukkah Countdown” wall hanging (which was really just for me, since I always seem to forget which night we’re on…).

DIY Menorah Supplies

To make a letter block, or Hot Wheels car menorah (like those pictured here), you’ll need the following supplies:

  • wooden letter blocks
  • A wooden ruler or paint stirrer
  • 9, 3/8 hex nuts
  • wood glue
  • tacky glue 

Lighting Candles

While the lighting of candles is a central component of the Hanukkah tradition, it is also integral part of the Jewish prayer ritual in general. Candles represent transition—be it from the work week, to the day of rest (Shabbat), or from secular daily life, to the sacred time of prayer and reflection. 

During Hanukkah, candles also represent the power of miracles—the eight candles on the menorah representing the miraculous way in which the single day’s worth of oil the Maccabees found when they reclaimed the temple in Jerusalem managed to last for eight. 

I love having my kids participate in the lighting of candles on Hanukkah (as well as on Shabbat), because it introduces them to the importance of rest and reflection. It also allows them to feel an exciting level of autonomy over, and participation in, the celebration (because what four-year-old wouldn’t be excited to hold a lit candle in her hand…).

For my youngest kids, we use this wooden toy menorah from Maisonette Kids, as well as this Kid Kraft wooden Shabbat set, so that they, too, can feel included in the ritual (without lighting themselves on fire). 

The Hanukkah Meal

The miracle of the oil is also the reason why fried foods, like latkes and friend doughnuts (sufganiyot), are so often incorporated into Hanukkah meals. And while someday I hope to have the time and energy to make doughnuts from scratch, for now I plan on cutting some corners and using this recipe to make them using store-bought pizza dough and jelly. My kids and I used this recipe last year as well, and while it doesn’t quite taste like a real doughnut, the younger crowd didn’t seem to notice. If you’re in the mood for something more impressive, and you’ve got a little more time on your hands, I recommend this recipe for a jelly donut cake that a friend of mine made last year. It is somewhat time-intensive, but delicious. 

When it comes to the Hanukkah meal, while my family lights the candles, and says prayers, each of the eight nights, we only plan on having real, celebratory dinners on the first and last nights. And, I don’t even plan on making either of them! As a mom of three, young children, I’ve given myself permission to outsource the part of the holiday that does not bring me joy (and by that, I mean cooking a large, complicated meal that all of my children will inevitably refuse to eat). Instead, I plan on ordering the main dishes from our local Jewish deli, and making only the easy parts at home (the latkes, applesauce, and desserts). 

In past years, I’ve used this sweet-potato latke recipe (full disclosure, it’s far from “authentic,” since it’s baked, not fried, but I find it much more convenient to cook them this way), as well as this easy, Instant Pot applesauce recipe (no refined sugar added), and both have been very well-received by kids and adults alike. 

Remembering Loved Ones

When we first met, I asked my Jewish husband what Jews believe about death, and the afterlife. (Romantic, I know.) And he told me, as many Jews would, that a person dies two deaths—once, when the spirit leaves the body, and again, when that person’s name is spoken for the last time. 

I have always found this to be an incredibly powerful belief, and is one that I think about often, particularly around the holidays. A large part of why I love holidays, and time-based rituals in general, is because they provide us with opportunities to pause, reflect, and remember. And on Hanukkah, I make a particular effort to take some time to remember the family and friends who are no longer with us, both by speaking their names, and remembering something good about them out loud, and with others. 

The past few years have, unfortunately, been filled with a lot of loss for a lot of people, and I take great comfort in knowing that I am allowing some of the people who have left us, both this year, and in years prior, to live on, in a way, through my own, and my family’s, memories of them. 

Books

Complex religious holidays can be hard for kids to wrap their heads around. Celebrating multiple, seemingly conflicting holidays can also be hard for kids to wrap their heads around. For my family, reading as many picture books as we can get our hands on about Hanukkah, Judaism, and interfaith families, has been hugely helpful in introducing our kids to big concepts and rituals, and in normalizing Judaism for them. Below, I have compiled a brief list of a few of our favorites for Hanukkah in particular. And, if your family is Jewish, or interfaith, I highly recommend checking out PJ Library—a FREE service that will send each of your kids an age-appropriate book, that is either about Judaism, features a Jewish character, or is written by a Jewish author—every month!

  • The Ninth Night of Hanukkah by Erica S. Perl and Shahar Kober
  • Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah by Olga Ivanov and Aleksey Ivanov
  • A Rugrat’s Hanukkah by Kim Smith
  • Meet the Latkes by Alan Silberberg
  • Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko
  • Little Red Ruthie by Gloria Koster and Sue Eastland
  • Goodnight Bubbala by Sheryl Haft and Jill Weber
  • The Dreidel That Wouldn’t Spin by Martha Seif Simpson

I hope that you’ve found this article in some way helpful, and that you have the most wonderful Hanukkah, and the happiest holiday season! 

Want More On The Holidays? Press Play On An Episode:

[powerpress_playlist ids=”29361, 29229, 26875″]

Katherine DeVries | @thepaperdart

Katherine is a stay-at-home-mom to three kids. She and her husband are originally from the Midwest but now reside in sunny, Southern California. Before taking time off last year, she spent 10 years teaching middle school English in public and charter schools throughout the Los Angeles area. She has a passion for literature (of both the children and adult varieties) which she shares on her personal blog, The Paper Dart.

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: holidays & celebrations

About Katherine DeVries

Katherine is a stay-at-home-mom to three kids. She and her husband are originally from the Midwest but now reside in sunny, Southern California. Before taking time off last year, she spent 10 years teaching middle school English in public and charter schools throughout the Los Angeles area. She has a passion for literature (of both the children and adult varieties) which she shares on her personal blog, The Paper Dart.

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Thank you for checking out our partners and using our links + codes!

Shoutout to our new & featured partners:
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And welcome back . . .
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⭐ @scholasticinc (books for kids of all ages!)
⭐ @minted (art, cards, decor & more!)
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This week's episode has elicited more comments and This week's episode has elicited more comments and emails than we've gotten in a LONG TIME. We're so glad the topic touched a nerve and appreciate every one of the notes we've received.

Speaking of "doneness" and all the feels about moving out of the baby-having years, this result from our listener survey surprised us. 72% of listeners who responded to the question about plans to grow their families said they are totally done. This is a big jump from previous surveys where we asked the same question (in 2021 59% said they were done; in 2019 47%).

If you haven't taken our survey yet, please do! Click this image at the link in our bio, or type themomhour.com/survey into any browser. Thanks, friends!
Did you know we have travel guides on our website Did you know we have travel guides on our website for NINE different U.S. cities (and counting!)? Our contributors hail from all over the country and know the best playgrounds, coffee shops, and family-friendly activities to make your summer travels more joyful and less stressful.

Our Chicagoland guide comes from @thepaperdart, who lives in SoCal now but hails from the Windy City originally. She has a guide FULL of mom-tested ideas for bringing kids to Chicago and surrounding areas. Click this image at the link in our bio to read Katherine's post, and get all the guides at themomhour.com/travel!

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Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
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Escape your busy routine and spread out along 825 miles of beaches, 700 freshwater springs and over 1300 trails with breathing room to run and play. Discover new experiences in the most comfortable place to get out of your comfort zone, only on a family vacation in Florida. (It’s just the best.)

Start planning your Florida vacation and learn more about all the places to go by clicking on this image at the link in our bio. 🏝️ And thanks for supporting the brands that support our show! @visitflorida #VisitFlorida #LoveFL
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A parent of three is exhausted by dinnertime sillies and wants help steering conversation at the family table. A stay-at-home mom asks what to do when her child says, "don't tell dad I got in trouble at school!". And a parent of a tween who wants acrylic nails asks a bigger question about letting kids alter their appearance in general. Meagan and Sarah tackle tricky parenting challenges with our best attempts at nuance, compassion, and humor in today's episode.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
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Happy Mother's Day! Meagan thought it would be fun to surprise Sarah with an episode full of lightning-round-style "this or that" questions and "would you rather" head-scratchers. Join us for lots of laughs, silly questions and tons of fun! If you've been listening for a while you know that we're chronically lightning-round-challenged. Find out if we answer all the questions before the buzzer goes off! 

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast#podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast#podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
A few thoughts on family vacations . . . –writte A few thoughts on family vacations . . . –written by @catieparrish on our team, in partnership with our sponsor @visitflorida . . . #AD

There's a lot that isn't shown in a vacation highlight reel. The impatient kids, the out-of-order elevator, the lost ball cap that caused so many tears, the tighter-than-usual vehicle seating arrangements that prevent siblings from keeping their hands to themselves, the weary parents trying to juggle it all.

But - thankfully! - throughout the trip, there are moments that make you think, "Totally worth it." One of those moments, for me, was our first beach walk after arriving in @vspc. The kids were ecstatic to see the ocean, the view was stunning, and I could feel the stress of managing a million details melt away. 

It's not that different, really, from anything else we do. We spend time, effort, and money to create and maintain a home that serves our family. It leads to the "worth it" moments of big weekend breakfasts and cozy family movie nights. We keep up the text thread, move stuff around on the calendar, and figure out childcare, so we can laugh with neighbors at a taproom. We put in the hours at work; for the paycheck, yes; but also to be able to say, "I helped do that."

I'm so happy our family got to have so many totally-worth-it moments in Florida. If you're interested in planning your own Florida vacation, click on this photo in our bio.

#visitflorida #loveFL
New episode! Meagan spent a soggy day helping eig New episode!

Meagan spent a soggy day helping eight grade science students release salmon into a creek, and it inspired this conversation all about kids and field trips. From tiny toddlers at the fire station to teens on a red-eye flight to Washington, D.C., time outside the classroom requires a ton of flexibility from everyone; we're here to discuss the both/and nature of field trips bringing added hassle AND growth opportunities. We also hear from two teachers and a special needs parent about their thoughts on field trips and swap stories about California vs. Michigan excursions for school-aged kids.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts

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