How To Celebrate Hanukkah Festival: Hanukkah is also called Chanukkah. It is an eight-day long winter Hanukkah festival of light celebrated each year by Jewish all over the world. It is also known as ‘Feast of Dedication’ and ‘Feast of the Maccabees.
Because the ancient people of Israel and Palestine follows the lunar calendar, the date of the Hanukkah varies every year. In 2021, the Hanukkah celebration will start on 28th November (Sunday) and end on 6 December (Monday).
Hannukah celebration comprises both religious and non-religious rituals and customs. The basic ritual is to light ‘Menorah’. It is a candle candelabra with eight branches joined by a common shamash called servant candle. The servant candle is used to light the other eight candles.
How To Celebrate Hanukkah Festival
Candles are inserted in the menorah in increasing order from right to left as the days of celebration progresses. But it is always ignited from the left to right direction. On the eighth day, all eight candles are lit. The menorah is kept in the house in such a way that it spread light inside and can be visible to passersby as well.
For Jewish living in Israel and other parts of the world, Hanukkah is no less than the Christmas of Christan. Some people take both festivals as one because of their proximity to each other. However, the two are different and belongs to two different religions.
How Jewish All Around The World Celebrate Hanukkah
While lighting the menorah and praying together is the traditional and key part of the Hanukkah celebration, there are many customs and rituals present that Jewish people follow in this eighth day’s long celebration. These are
Playing Dreidel – It is a traditional game that Jewish people play on Hanukkah night. Dreidel is a small spinning top having Hebrew letters. Each player participating in the game will have to put a small amount of what they have in a pot. It can be gelt, counters, money etc. The players then play to win the pot.
The pot can be won by players depending on how dreidel is falling in their turn. Eating Fried Food – Food and celebration always go hand in hand. For the eight days, people eat fried food like potato latkes, donuts, etc.
Why Hanukkah Is Celebrated
Hanukkah is celebrated because it commemorates the victory of Judah and Jerusalem over the armies of Syria and Egypt. According to Jewish tradition, a small jar of oil was kept burning on the altar in Bethel for eight days. On the ninth day, the oil burned for an extra day, indicating that God had helped Judah prevail. The celebration of Hanukkah includes lighting a menorah, eating sufganiyot (traditional Hanukkah treats), and reading the hanukkiah blessing.
Also Read: Hanukkah Wishes
Giving Hanukkah Gelt – Gelt is chocolate wrapped in foil that gives a coin-like shape. People commonly exchange this during Hanukkah Festival. It is also used in the dreidel game.
Giving Gifts – A celebration is again incomplete without a gift. Gelt was the only gift given on Hanukkah Festival, but with time the tradition has evolved. Some people choose to add other gifts as well in gelt. It could be cash or other things.
Hanukkah Music – Music plays a crucial part in the Hanukkah Festival celebration. There is a list of Hanukkah Festival songs people sing and play during Hanukkah nights to pep up the celebration mood.
For sending Hanukkah wishes, greetings and messages, check our Hanukkah wishes.
