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by Checkout Chick
Hanukkah is The Festival of Lights, at least that’s what Adam Sandler says. (Download The Chanukah Song.) While Christmas is a very important religious holiday, Hanukkah is a relatively minor holiday on the Jewish calendar. However, as Christmas has become more and more commercial Hanukkah has followed. Gift-giving has become the central them of each holiday.
The tradition of giving one gift each night of the eight day long holiday is one that Jewish children look forward to all year. After lighting the Menorah each night, Jewish families will gather together to exchange gifts. Typically, there will be a night (often the first night) where “gelt” is given. (Gelt is the Yiddish word for money.) Frequently gelt comes in the form of chocolate, gold coins. However, it’s not uncommon for parents or grandparents to give children actual coins or paper money as well.
Today, Jewish families can be just as crazy as their Christian counterparts when it comes to buying gifts. There is always a rush to get the hottest toys such as Zhu Zhu Pets, Mindflex or Elmo’s Tickle Hands. Likewise, families are always looking for the best coupons and deals at stores such as Walmart, Toys “R” Us, Target and Amazon.
This year, Hanukkah began on December 11th, so being that there are only three more days left to celebrate, I figured it was as good a time as any to write about some really great, last minute Hanukkah gifts.
For a more traditional Hanukkah gift, consider giving a Hanukkah-themed Kosher gift basket. This basket from Amazon includes a tasteful assortment of kosher food items. Save time without looking like you did by ordering prepackaged instead of going through the trouble of creating your own. With only three days of celebration remaining, the time you save by ordering prepackaged will allow you to spend that time where it really matters this holiday season – with your family. Amazon has a great selection of these on their site. Consider choosing one that you can combine with one of our many Amazon free shipping coupons to make sure it arrives in time.
Another great last minute gift idea in the same vein as the Kosher Basket above, is giving the gift of membership in the Kosher Wine of the Month Club. Each month, the recipient receives two featured bottles of Kosher Wine from around the world, suggestions for food pairings, as well as a monthly newsletter. For more information on the KosherWine.com Wine Club, check out KosherWine.com.
Why not think retro Hanukkah and simply give the gift of gelt? Trust me, in this tough economy everyone can use a little extra spending money, especially this time of year. You can also give chocolate gelt, such as this box from Amazon. Use one of our many Amazon coupons to save even more gelt!
Tzedakah is a Hebrew word meaning “charity”. Why not reserve one of the eight nights of giving and turn it into a lesson on “tzedakah” by teaching your loved ones the importance of giving back to the community. Start a family tradition by making a determination throughout the year of one or several charities that could benefit from receiving the total amount of what would have been spent that night on presents, and then donate that amount. The charity can be local, national or based on the Jewish Faith. Visit jewishcharities.org for some ideas.
With time running short on this holiday, flowers are always a foolproof way to show your appreciation. From You Flowers has a great selection of Hanukkah themed arrangements, and you can choose from a variety of options including blue and white flowered bouquets or flowered centerpieces with candles. Same day delivery is available, and by using one of the From You Flowers coupons on our site you can save yourself either $5 per order, or 10% off the total. You decide what saves you more!
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Tags: Amazon, Flowers, Gelt, Gift Basket, Hanukkah, Target, Toys "R" Us, walmart