Gift Suggestions

Choosing a gift for Hanukkah can be difficult if you are fighting the crowds in stores and don't know what to buy. Hanukkah is supposed to be a joyous time, not a time to dread shopping and wrapping. Taking time to think ahead, shop early and knowing what to pick makes gift giving much easier.

Create a list of everyone for whom you need to pick a gift. Decide how much money you plan to spend. You can break it down and allot an amount of money for each person's gift or the total budget for all of your holiday spending.

IDecide whether you will give one present to each person or eight presents, one for each night of Hanukkah. This will help you plan your budget more accurately and may determine some of the gifts. For example, if your child wants a video game, perhaps you can give him that and seven smaller gifts such as books, puzzles or similar items.

Determine whether you will purchase gifts for everyone on your list or whether you will make some. Some "hard to buy for" people who have everything may actually prefer getting homemade cookies. Look at the calendar to determine your time frame. Hanukkah, being a movable holiday, does not start on the same date every year. Make sure you have enough time to shop and send gifts before Hanukkah begins.

Do your research before you go to the store. If your child wants a particular toy, look online and at store circulars to check availability and prices. Many people end up spending more money when they are at the store because they don't know how much an item should cost.

Make a second list of what you are going to buy. Include store names and advertised prices. Pick an alternate gift for each person in case the present you want to give is sold out. Go to the store to pick out your gifts or order online if that is the method you prefer. Using your list will help you shop quickly and without a lot of frustration.

Like all holidays, Hanukkah is celebrated according to traditions, and each Hanukkah table expresses rituals of family, culture and community.

The ritual lighting of the Menorah commemorates the miracle of the oil: the eight days and nights of light provided by a one-day supply of oil. Hanukkah foods are traditionally fried in oil: the scent of frying latkes, which are the uncontested centerpiece of any Hanukkah table, brings back memories of past Hanukkah celebrations.