Hanukkah
Day Party Ideas - 3 Quick Planning Tips
By Gail Leino
There are three traditional Hanukkah decorations
for this Jewish holiday. These are the menorah, the dreidel and the gelt
bag. The menorah is a sacred religious symbol while the dreidel and the
gelt bag are children's toys to remind them of their Jewish heritage.
But Hanukkah would be bare without these items.
Menorahs are a sort of candelabra with eight
candles to symbolize the sacred days of Hanukkah and one extra in the
middle. On each night of Hanukkah one of the candles is lit. This is
meant to remember an ancient war in Jerusalem when only enough lamp oil
for one night was available to people hiding in a Temple under siege by
the Greeks. It was deemed a miracle that the oil lasted the length of
the eight days.
Today many materials are used in menorahs from
silver or wood to individual tea light holders. These can also be oil or
electric. The image of the menorah can be used on party goods especially
for the children's table. The dreidel is a spinning top which children
use in a game. There are also ornamental dreidels on the market which
range from penny items to hundreds of dollars and come in many materials
from silver and crystal to Lucite. If ordering online or from a
catalogue make sure to read the product description carefully and order
the one that best fits the purpose. If children are to play with the
dreidel, be sure to order the child-safe version.
Used in close association with the dreidel is the
gelt bag. Gelt is the Yiddish word for money and the children receive
gelt bags in which to keep their foil covered candy or real coins. The
money is used to place bets on the dreidel game.
Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the
internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party
supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also
teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Lots of free
party games, ideas, party planning tips, recipes and menus
at Hanukkah
Fun.
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