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A Month Before Hanukkah
In some families the gifts are given on each night of the holiday, so in total it's eight gifts. In other families it is customary to give one big gift to each family member. So, decide what way suits your family most of all
- Wrap the gifts
- Prepare Hanukkah money (gelt) for children
Decide whether you are going to give some money on each night of the holiday or once in the beginning of Hanukkah
- Encourage your children to give a part of the money for the charity or to buy some gifts to someone who is in need of them
- Tell your children the history of Hanukkah holiday and explain its traditions
- Discuss the ways of the charity donation during the holiday
- Select the date of Hanukkah party if you are going to host
- Plan the menu
Don't remember that there is a custom of Hanukkah to cook fatty food rich of oil in memory of the miracle that happened with the temple oil
- Plan a list of guests
- Send the invitations to each of the guest
- Decide whether you are going to light olive oil or candles
The candles are cheaper, but the olive oil is the higher level of sanctity. Remember that it isn't good to light candles after you've already lighted the oil
- If you don't have Hanukkah Menorah, purchase it or make by yourself
Two Weeks Before Hanukkah
- Polish your Menorahs
- Buy Hanukkah candles of appropriate size in accordance with your Menorah
Remember that you will need 44 candles for each Menorah
- Buy enough olive oil if you are going to light the oil
- If you don't have dreidels, buy them
- Buy small chocolate coins to use them as prizes
- Involve children in making Hanukkah decorations
Teach them to cut out the menorahs, Stars of David, dreidels of the gold and silver paper
- Learn the rules of lighting Hanukkah candles
- Buy cookie cutters in the form of dreidel, Menorah, Star of David, etc
- Start cleaning the house
Several Days before Hanukkah
- Clean the house
- Cook holiday food
- Call your guests to confirm they'll come
- Start decorating the house
During Hanukkah
- Place Menorah in a doorway opposite the Mezuzah or on the window-sill in such a way that all passers-by can see the light of Menorah
- Make sure that the flame is far from the curtains and other flammable materials
- Each evening of Hanukkah after sundown light the candles
At the first day you must light shamash candle and then use it to light one candle at the far right of Menorah. At the second day light shamash and use it to light two candles from the right to the left. Add each following day one candle and always use shamash to light them. Candles should burn not least than 30 minutes, don't blow out them
- While lighting the candles, recite Hanukkah prayer
- Eat Hanukkah food, such as latkes, sufganiyot, etc
- Play Hanukkah games and dreidel
- Give Hanukkah gifts and money to children
- Sing Hanukkah songs
- Tell the story of Hanukkah
After Hanukkah
- Clean Menorahs
- Write thank-you notes for the gifts you received
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