Need Help from Disers of Jewish faith

[luckey-lasvegas]

My DD and I have new friends who are Jewish, and we would like to give them a gift this holiday season but were not sure when and how to do it.

Are there any traditions that we should follow ?

Thank you for your help and Happy Holidays!

 

[bellastella227]

It is so nice of you to even think of asking a question like this! Seriously, so many people are naive to other faiths and usually don't even bother to find out when a holiday begins and what is or is not appropriate. That being said, I wouldn't worry too much because most Jewish people are probably used to people wishing them "merry christmas" and perhaps getting them christmas-themed gifts (my husband had a family friend that would give him and his sister ornaments---and Hanukkah does not have anything like a christmas tree!). It is nice of you to ask and become more aware of our faith and traditions.

Hanukkah is our holiday during this season. It begins the night of the 15th this year (it changes every year but it is listed on most calendars). On the Hebrew calendar, days being at sunset. So even though the calendar says the 1st day of Hanukkah is on December 16, that means that it really begins at sundown on the 15th.

Any gift is nice and thoughtful, I would just try and not give anything with a christmas motif on it. If you want it to be seasonal, maybe try and stick with snowflakes/snowmen or something of the sort. Otherwise, anything you would usually give as a gift should be fine. Hanukkah is not really about gifts but it has become that way for many families as a result of competing with holidays like christmas. Let me know if you have any more questions!

 

[Stephres]

Thank you for this thread and the response. My son's best friend is Jewish and I wondered the same thing. Growing up in the deep South, I was ignorant of traditions and holidays. We will give him a little something on the 15th. Thanks again!

 

[Tinkerbell424]

Im jewish and so is my best friend,we usually give our prsents to each other on Hanukkah which is on the 16th.But Hanukkah Night is on the 15th..I would just wrap it up in either plain or designed wrapping paper or a bag(whichever) and write Happy Holidays!

 

[luckey-lasvegas]

Thank you for your replys! Would it be alright to tie a bag of the gold coins to the package or is that for some other tradition ? My DD loves the coins and would be very excited to put them on the package. The girls are both figure skaters and have become good friends at the rink. They are a wonderful family, the type you would love for your children to be friends with.
I bought her a pair of pink jeweled slipper/clogs with pink fur linning. The girls like to wear them around the rink after they take their skates off. And both girls are big American Girl fans so I'm sure that something AG will wind up in the bag. The holiday show at the skate rink is on the night of the 15th so that will be a perfect time to deliver the gift ! Thank you everyone for your help !

 

[tjmw2727]

That sounds perfect and very thoughtful. Yes the gold coins are appropriate for Hanakkah, I often use them as deocration on our gifts. We celebrate both holidays and my dd's love to play dreidle - the more chocolate coins around the house the better!

Both of my dd's are figure skaters too, we had two holiday shows today so I am a proud but freezing mom!!

Have a great time, I am sure the kids will love your thoughtfullness.

TJ

 

[CleveRocks]

Im jewish and so is my best friend,we usually give our prsents to each other on Hanukkah which is on the 16th.But Hanukkah Night is on the 15th..I would just wrap it up in either plain or designed wrapping paper or a bag(whichever) and write Happy Holidays!

"Hanukkah night?" I never heard of "Hanukkah night" before. Last I checked, Hanukkah lasts for 8 nights. Dec. 15 after sunset is the FIRST night of Hanukkah. Gifts can be given any time over those 8 nights. Me personally, I'm more liberal, I'm accepting gifts through the end of the year, in case any of you were going to ask ....

 

[solgent]

I think it is fantastic when Christian people, who after all are the majority in the US, make the effort to understand and acknowledge the holidays of another faith.

Hanukah is the "festival of lights." It commemorates a time when the Jews reclaimed the temple from other people who had captured it and desecrated it, and they re-consecrated it by burning oil which "magically" lasted for 8 nights. So we celebrate Hanukah by burning candles and by eating food cooked in oil, such as potato pancakes and jelly doughnuts.

Chocolate coins are a traditional treat, but I think this hasn't been going on very long. You can play a game with a dreidel, a four-sided top with a Hebrew letter on each side, which is a sort of acronym for the (Hebrew) sentence, " A great miracle happened there." You use nuts (in the shell) or coins for the game, and I think the chocolate coins comes from that. They're called Hanukah gelt, gelt being the Yiddish word for money.

 

[Zoemakes5]

I think it's great of you to be concerned and considerate! While I'm not myself jewish, I grew up in a community where there were a lot of jewish and mixed faith families. I've been honored to be invited to a few Hanukkah first night celebrations.
First, I think that merely recognizing that they celebrate a different holiday is a huge step in the right direction. My friends still get "Christmas presents" given to them. While they appreciate that someone cared enough to give them a gift and want to share that with them, they appreciate the thought of honoring their holiday even more. We do holiday (x-mas) cards every year with family pictures on them, and typically my jewish friends get a Hanukkah card with the holiday card inside it.
I like to give my friends Hanukkah decorations, when I find them. I've been able to find small dreidl shaped candy dishes in the past, and I've been told that they really like it because they put them out on their desk/in their cube when everyone else puts up their holiday decorations.
I have also purchased Hanukkah picture books and coloring books for the kids.
It doesn't seem like this is the case with the family you're talking about, but some families treat that first night as particularly, for lack of a better word, sacred. It's just for very immediate family, and is a time for connection and reflection. So, generally, I wouldn't recommend delivering a present that night, just in case. But if you're going to be seeing them, it would be great if you gave it to her then, and your DD wished her a Happy Hanukkah!

 

[XYSRUS]

The other day I saw chocolate dreidels in foil, like coins. Too cute!

 

[Deesknee]

I am not Jewish myself, but I wanted to commend you in your efforts to honor your friends Religion. I wish we could all be as thoughtful and considerate regarding all things. Kudos to you for spreading the Pixie magic.