By TinaTeach

December 7, 2007 8:20 AM | Link to this

My husband and I exchange a small gifts the first night and then go to see a movie the last night. Inbetween we let the beauty of the burning candles and tasty donuts be our treat.

By Mike

December 7, 2007 9:49 AM | Link to this

Great article on the NYT web site yesterday about inter-faith couples - it quoted several Jewish spouses as saying that they made Hannukah more elaborate because they felt they had to “compete” with Christmas.

Shouldn’t the goal be to make Christmas more religious and less commercial, rather than making Hannukah more so?

By H from Marietta

December 7, 2007 9:56 AM | Link to this

Who cares? I’m an atheist!!!

By HB

December 7, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this

I once knew a Jewish family that gave each child a special big “winter” gift (for example, one year the son received a basketball goal) around New Year’s. They didn’t want their kids to feel like they were missing out on Santa and resent not celebrating Christmas like their friends at school, but at the same time, they didn’t want to break with tradition by giving large Hannukah gifts to try and “compete”. Seemed like a nice compromise to me.

By ChristianGirl

December 7, 2007 10:52 AM | Link to this

Christmas and Hanukkah are both too commercial. Big business is beating out religion! How absurd!

By One

December 7, 2007 10:58 AM | Link to this

All holidays have become too commercialized!! We have big business and our greedy government to thank for that!

By The Momster

December 7, 2007 11:07 AM | Link to this

Hanukkah doesn’t hold a candle to Christmas for most families that I know. I don’t know anyone who feels obligated to go out and spend hundreds of dollars for family and co-workers or go into debt for one holiday. Like most families, we celebrated for the kids only, not the adults. The week was full of parties and fun. We gave one “family” gift to the kids (a nintendo, an outdoor playset) on the first night. The following nights were simple: a book, a CD, a calendar. A gift from the grandparents was opened on another night, and the kids gave small gifts to each other. In the United States, it’s hard to not give gifts to the kids, but most families I know keep it in perspective. Our kids got nicer gifts for their birthdays than for Hanukkah.

By NICK

December 7, 2007 11:49 AM | Link to this

The only true holiday during the month of December, is CHRISTMAS…………..

By Jo

December 7, 2007 12:07 PM | Link to this

Nick, you are an ignorant bigot & probably have the nerve to call yourself a Christian. Uh, no, you’re not. Jesus was JEWISH & a RABBI. He would be the first one to tell you that your racist attitude is anything BUT Christian. If you have children, I only hope & pray you don’t poison their minds with your filth & hatred

By George

December 7, 2007 12:46 PM | Link to this

www.Hanukkah.org is the best web site.

By Tom Robinson

December 10, 2007 9:31 AM | Link to this

Hanukkah was always a very minor Jewish Holiday when I was growing up

But to counter the Christian Holiday of Christmas, Hanukkah has now been built up into an equal holiday.