When I taught the b’nei mitzvah class in religious school, we always had a discussion on “How would a Jew fight a vampire?” got great responses. I started out by playing about five minutes of film clips like those where crosses warded off vampires.
It’s not really a long story, per se. It’s just kind of a long-winded, and not very interesting explanation. Nothing much happens on the 7th night. Everyone is sort of partied out, and anything that is baked is being saved for the final night blow-out. Everyone has eaten all their chocolate gelt, except for the bags that are going to be given out on the 8th night.
If Hanukkah coincides with Christmas break, the 7th night usually ends up being a night a travel.
It’s just the most “Meh” night of them all. Like everyone is already finished with it, and is just going through the motions. Until the next night, when there’s all kinds of goodies to send the holiday out, but we’re just marking time until then.
I didn’t get presents as a kid, but kids who did got sweaters and watches on the 7th night. Never anything “good.” The first and the last night were when you got an Atari 2600 or something really cool. You got board games and books for the next couple of nights, but gifts got increasingly utilitarian, and inexpensive. Then, you’d finally get something good again on the last night.
That’s all.
I’m Jewish and I don’t mind being wished a “Merry Christmas,” and I even say it to people if it’s appropriate. Good wishes are good wishes. Can’t get enough of them.
Atari 2600 for Hanukkah? I have a newfound respect for the Jewish faith. 
That is, as long as the kids didn’t get the E.T. cartridge on the 7th day. 
Maybe the Atari 2600 is the modern choice? I imagine Jewish kids in the 2030s unwrapping a Nintendo Game Boy (4AA batteries not included…)
What am I missing? My Uncle Jonas gave his kids an Atari for Hanukkah in something like 1978. He was cool like that. My mother was on the “Hanukkah isn’t Christmas” thing. I still didn’t get an Atari for Purim.
My Uncle Jonas gave me one for my bat mitzvah.
from my favorite atheist chris hitchens :
"to the Christians I say merry Christmas the Jews I say happy Hanukah to the black man I say nothing because I feel he gets insulted enough the rest of the year "
Merry Hanukkah!
Aw, but Holi is such a fun one! What do you have against colors?
Rivkah, are you familiar with the story of the Christmas menorahs of Billings, MT?
I spent last Chanukah in Israel. Specifically, Geula and Bnei Brak. You don’t realize how subtly pervasive all the Christmas stuff is at home until you’re in a place where it’s totally absent. Now, I know there are plenty of Christians in Israel, but they’re not in Bnei Brak. Israeli Jews set up their menorahs in glass boxes outside their homes, so at sunset, it’s like a sea of flickering candles as far as the eye can see. It felt nice to be part of the majority for once. Also not to get any weird looks when I arrived at the hotel from the airport at midnight and told the front desk that I needed to light right away. They unlocked the dining room, showed me where to set up my menorah next to the 50 others that were already there from other guests, brought out some sufganiyot, and left me to it.
I just learned about these yesterday from Duff Goldman on the Holiday Baking show. Thanks for the spelling!
These are my feelings as well–I’m not Jewish and I’m happy to receive a “Happy Hanukkah” or any other blessing. It’s the thought that counts.
That’s fine, it works for you. It doesn’t really work for me. Again, a stranger, what are you going to do? But some who knows you; that’s annoying.
Merry [del]christmahanakwanzika[/del] dammit! Happy Festivus, everyone!
Ah, xmas, the subtle holiday!
I have a lot of problems with you people!!
Happy Ugly Christmas Sweater Day!
That was pretty good, and reminds me I haven’t heard The Hanukkah Song yet. I know a lot of people hate it, but it cracks me up every time I hear it-- especially when he points out the one guy NOT JEWISH!!
I love that song.