Hanukkah is a completely commercialized, made-up holiday...

[TurboKitty]

Commercialized, yes, but no more so than say, Christmas.

It is a minor holiday or "holy day".

I always preferred Purim over Chanukkah, but I like to dress up and bake.

 

[flminivanmama]

Hanukkah celebrates a miracle and the fact that Jesus once again took his people under his wing.

 

[disneysteve]

Hanukkah celebrates a miracle and the fact that Jesus once again took his people under his wing.

Excuse me? What does Jesus have to do with Chanukah?

 

[MUFFYCAT]

When I worked for Bank Leumi & Bank Hapoalim 1978 throught 1983 Chanukkah was never celebrated. I remember one very nice Isreali women who explained all the holidays to me. She and the others said it became "popular" because their kids felt left out around Christmas season.
For the other holidays the banks would always have a ceremony or close (High Holy days).

My (Jewish) friend teases me that I know what many of the holidays mean, she thinks I'm Jewish but don't realize it!

 

[punkin]

When I worked for Bank Leumi & Bank Hapoalim 1978 throught 1983 Chanukkah was never celebrated. I remember one very nice Isreali women who explained all the holidays to me. She and the others said it became "popular" because their kids felt left out around Christmas season.
For the other holidays the banks would always have a ceremony or close (High Holy days).

My (Jewish) friend teases me that I know what many of the holidays mean, she thinks I'm Jewish but don't realize it!

Actually it was always observed (by lighting candles, playing dreydl, and eating latkes and sufganiot) but there are no special "celebrations" like there are for the major Jewish holidays. There are no restrictions on work so the banks would not have closed, but I can guarantee you that the nice Israeli woman would have gone home and lit candles with her family to commemorate the miracle.

 

[rigs32]

We do have it good, though. With Jewish holidays, I mean. How many other religions encourage partying and noisemaking on certain holidays? And speciality musical instruments, too.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Actually it was always observed (by lighting candles, playing dreydl, and eating latkes and sufganiot) but there are no special "celebrations" like there are for the major Jewish holidays. There are no restrictions on work so the banks would not have closed, but I can guarantee you that the nice Israeli woman would have gone home and lit candles with her family to commemorate the miracle.

I'm sorry, she did light the candles, but that was all she or the other people did. She said as a child that didn't have that! The bank didn't even have a menorah. For some of the other holidays we would get little packages of kosher food, wine etc. that would be used to celebrate that holiday.

 

[punkin]

I'm sorry, she did light the candles, but that was all she or the other people did. She said as a child that didn't have that! The bank didn't even have a menorah. For some of the other holidays we would get little packages of kosher food, wine etc. that would be used to celebrate that holiday.

Well really, that's all you are supposed to do. It is not a major holiday, but hardly made up or commercialized as suggested by OP's boss.