For centuries the celebration of Hanukkah has existed, a Jewish tradition in which candles are lit on each day of the festival. Each of the eight candles of Hanukkah make up what is known as a Menorah.

Historically, Hanukkah is to celebrate the retelling of the story of the Maccabees revolt against King Antiochus. Antiochus destroyed the temple of the Jewish people, and eventually left, leaving the Jewish people behind. 

“After he was driven out, the Jewish people wanted to re-dedicate the temple but found only a small flask of oil that would last only one day,” Josue Coy Dick said.

The eight days that the light burned are known as the eight days of Hanukkah. Games are played and food is eaten on these eight days. Which Coy Dick describes as being much fun.

“The kids play Dreidel, a game we play on Hanukkah,” Coy Dick said. “We celebrate by eating foods cooked in oil, such as potato latkes.”

According to The Spruce Eats, potato latkes are not the only food offered during the celebration of Hanukkah. In addition, members of the Jewish faith partake in the eating of matzo ball soup, bread, baked flounder with lemon and butter, roasted beets and feta cheese salad with sumac dressing, moroccan chicken tagine and many other dishes. 

Along with playing dreidel, songs are sung in traditional Ashkenazic and Sephardic, as well as more recent songs made in the United States and Israel, according to My Jewish Learning. Some families may even decorate for Hanukkah.

With the presence of Christmas surrounding the eight days of Hanukkah, some families decide to give presents during these eight days. In places like Europe, during Hanukkah parents only give children raisins, nuts and small amounts of Hanukkah gelt (money) as gifts, but in the U.S. Hanukkah may be celebrated as a way to give one another presents. 

Unfortunately, people who celebrate Hanukkah are not offered a two week break from school and work while people who celebrate Christmas receive a 14 day break. Hanukkah is celebrated from Dec. 10 to Dec. 18, and Christmas is celebrated on Dec. 25, in the midst of the school’s “winter break”. 

“Hanukkah is a celebration of liberation and revolution and this is a big reason why we must remember and celebrate this event,” Coy Dick said.