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Chanukkah Gifts
Whether we like it or not, Chanukkah gift-giving has become an indispensable
part of the holiday celebration. Immigrants from Eastern Europe successfully
imported to the United States their tradition of gathering the children around
the menorah during one night of the holiday and giving them a few coins (Chanukkah
gelt). Would those immigrants recognize the holiday today with its emphasis on
gift-giving, in some cases involving a gift for each child every night of
Chanukkah? Some families are saying "enough already" and are looking
for ways to minimize the materialistic focus of the holiday and create
opportunities to enhance other values. To that end, here are some suggestions to
start you thinking about alternatives that may work for your family:
- Give the gift of your time. Family members can create personal
service coupons, entitling the recipient to a unique, personalized gift. A
child can give a parent a coupon for dog-walking (without complaints-the
best part!), breakfast in bed, snow shoveling, or car washing, to name a few
examples. A parent can give a child a coupon for an extra read-aloud story
on demand, a special trip to the mall or swimming pool, a meal consisting of
the child's favorite foods, etc.
- Give the gift of a family activity. Spend the evening with all
family members participating together in a favorite pastime. Take the family
to a movie or to the ice skating rink. Or light a fire in the fireplace,
have a picnic dinner on the floor by the fireside, followed by an evening of
games (everyone gets to choose one favorite game for the group to play).
- Focus on extended family and friends. Invite others to your home to
share your latkes and your evening. Organize a group activity for the
children, such as Chanukkah games, making decorations, or decorating
cookies. Let the children put on a Chanukkah play or talent show for the
adults-don't forget to videotape it.
- Designate one night to exchange handmade gifts. Whether you can
create a beautiful sweater or a picture frame out of popsicle sticks and
cardboard, a homemade gift can be a unique treasure. Check out the Chanukkah
book corner in B'nai Emet's library to find books with appropriate craft
ideas. The following links may give you some ideas as well:
http://www.kinderart.com/seasons/dec5.shtml
http://www.holidays.net/chanukah/pattern.html
- Give the gift of tzedakah. Take your family shopping for personal
care and hygiene products to donate to B'nai Emet USY's Health Care for
Homeless Caring Hearts supply drive. Drop them off in the bin outside the
office. Give your children Chanukkah gelt, with the stipulation that a
portion they choose (to be matched by you) should be given to the charity of
their choice. At an extended family Chanukkah party, instead of drawing
names for a gift exchange, ask each adult to bring a donation to his or her
favorite charity and tell the group the reason that charity is especially
meaningful. You may not go home with a bottle of cologne, but you will learn
something about one another and feel great.
- Focus on faraway family or friends. If bubbe and zayde, or other
family or friends are in distant places, spend an evening phoning them or
writing group letters with your family. Young children can draw pictures,
dictate messages, or sing songs on a videotape to include in a special
package to be mailed.
- Help someone else. Sign up to join your B'nai Emet friends on
December 25 and help serve a Christmas meal at a senior housing project.
Contact the office for details. Do chores for a neighbor in need. Run
errands for someone who cannot get out. Visit a friend or relative in the
hospital or nursing home.
- Present a family gift. Buy tickets for an upcoming entertainment or
cultural event that your family can enjoy together. Buy or make a tzedakah
box for your family to use throughout the year. Pass down an heirloom from
generation to generation. Create a special album or scrapbook with favorite
holiday celebrations or special times from the past year.
Please submit your own ideas for non-traditional Chanukkah gifts. Click on
feedback and e-mail a description of what has worked for you and yours.
Happy Chanukkah!
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