A Christian Hanukkah

A Quick Guide to Your First Hanukkah

Hanukkah is almost upon us. Every year, the Hanukkah season brings a new wave of Christians who express interest in celebrating this holiday. For many, it’s a completely new occasion to celebrate, but they aren’t sure how. After three decades spent celebrating a Christian Hanukkah, I’m happy to share a few of the ways you can begin to incorporate this holiday into your winter season.

But first… Let’s talk briefly about why millions of Christians around the world are now celebrating this “Jewish” holiday. The shortest answer is the most important: Because Christ celebrated it. As Christians, our warrant for celebrating this holiday is the same as in all aspects of our faith: Jesus did it, so we do it.

In fact, the only part of the Bible that mentions Hanukkah isn’t the Hebrew part (the Old Testament) — rather, it’s found exclusively in Gospel of John. In that story, the Messiah went to the Temple in Jerusalem during the “Feast of Dedication,” which is the literal translation of the Hebrew name for Hanukkah. There, He addressed the crowd and told them about the purpose for which His life was dedicated, including His Messianic role and His oneness with the Father.

As Christians, many of us strive to emulate the patterns of the life of Christ. We try to “walk as He walked,” as the Bible instructs. This includes adopting His culture, His religion, and His community, albeit with 21st century adaptations. We celebrate Hanukkah because our Lord celebrated it.

As a fellow Christian, I love what this season represents. Hanukkah is essentially an annual memorial to the rededication of the Temple to God following the Maccabean Revolt. All that took place during a holocaust of sorts that was waged against the God-fearing Jewish people during the time between the histories documented in the Old and New Testaments. As such, Hanukkah is all about dedication of the Temple, perseverance in the face of religious and ethnic persecution, and the miraculous provision of God — and all of this setting the stage for the glory of God to return to His Temple in the presence of Christ. Those are the main themes of Hanukkah, and they remain applicable to Christians today.

Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration that begins at sundown on a date prescribed on the Jewish calendar. (The exact days “change” every year on modern Gregorian calendars.) It’s celebrated for eight days because of a miracle that occurred during the Maccabees’ rededication of the Temple: They only had enough consecrated oil to burn the Temple’s primary lamp for one day, but it lasted for eight days, which allowed them enough time to consecrate new oil and keep the eternal flames alive.

If you’re thinking about making this your first Hanukkah, welcome. It’s a lot of fun and a great way to remember the history of God’s people while also applying meaningful principles and practices to your faith. While none of the following ideas or traditions are required, here are some fun ways to make the most of your first Hanukkah celebration.

1. Light a Menorah.

“Menorah” is the Biblical Hebrew word for a candlestick or lampstand. A large menorah was a key feature in the Tabernacle and the Temple. Traditional Hanukkah menorahs are roughly modeled after the branched shape of the Temple’s menorah, though they have eight branches instead of the six branches of the Temple’s menorah. The reason for the eight branches on a Hanukkah menorah (also known as a Hanukkiah) is that each branch represents one of the eight days of Hanukkah. So, each night, people add a new candle to their menorahs and light them to remember the faithfulness of God and the Light of the World.

Here’s how to light a Hanukkah menorah: Every night, put one candle in the the central or highest candle position on the menorah. This is called the servant (shamash) candle and is used to then light the other candles. On each night of Hanukkah, put as many additional candles in the menorah as needed to match the day of Hanukkah. (Traditionally, the nightly candles are added from right to left, as Hebrew reads in that direction, but feel free to do whatever arrangement you prefer.) This means, on the first night, you will have the servant candle plus one extra candle to represent the first day of Hanukkah. On the second night, you will again have a fresh servant candle and then add two more candles to signify the second night. And so on until the eighth night when the Hanukkah menorah is fully loaded and fully lit.

Don’t have a Hanukkah menorah? Don’t worry. Any type of candles or lamps can suffice. The point is the light — not the candlestick.

2. Say prayers of dedication.

The nightly lighting of the menorah is a great time to pause and say a prayer for an area of your life wherein you want to focus on (re)dedication to God. The specific areas of focus are up to your discretion and convictions. It can be done either individually or as a household. As you light the candles, say a prayer for that aspect of your life that you’d like to intentionally dedicate back to God. It may look something like this:

Night 1: Dedication of your mind to God.
Night 2: Dedication of your time to God.
Night 3: Dedication of your family to worship.
Night 4: Dedication of your resources to God.
Night 5: Dedication of your vocation to God.
Night 6: Dedication of your behavior to righteousness.
Night 7: Dedication of your relationships to being a witness for Christ.
Night 8: Dedication to living out the Fruit of the Spirit.

3. Do Bible studies.

Dedication to God can only be properly understood through the diligent study of Scripture. There are many themes to choose from that work perfectly with Hanukkah. Gather your friends and family around, read the Bible, and discuss how its words can impact your life, faith, and community. Some studies may center on topics such as:

The Light of the World:
Psalm 119:105, John 1:1-34, John 8:12, and Matthew 5:13-20
The Temple of God:
Psalm 27, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 1 Corinthians 6:16-20, Revelation 21:22,
Dedication to God:
Deuteronomy 6, Micah 6:6-8, Romans 12, Colossians 3:17,

4. Read the history of the Maccabees.

The story of the Maccabean Revolt is found in the ancient apocryphal books of I, II, III, and IV Maccabees. It’s an intensely tragic and often atrocious story, but children’s versions are available in a variety of story books. When reading, try to put yourself into the story, empathize, and think about how you would have responded if faced with such circumstances.

5. Have a Hanukkah feast.

Set aside time for a special dinner with family and friends (or do one every night of Hanukkah, if you’re able). Traditionally, since the Hanukkah story includes the miracle of oil, fried foods are eaten during Hanukkah. (We Southerners were made for this holiday.) Traditional Hanukkah foods include doughnuts and potato latkes, which are basically hashbrowns. And the beautiful thing about fried food is that almost anything is possible. So try your hand at making fried fish, tempura vegetables, egg rolls, fritters, fried pies, crispy wontons, hush puppies, deep fried Oreos, and anything else you can dream up.

6. Play Dreidel.

A dreidel is a traditional spinning top. It has four sides and each has consequences in a gambling-style game. Usually, what’s at stake are chocolate coins or other candies, but feel free to up the ante depending on your Dreidel mates.

How to play Dreidel: Begin with everyone having an equal amount of chocolates, coins, poker chips, dollars, or whatever you’ve decided to play for. To start a round, every player antes in an equal amount (usually a single chocolate). This creates a central pot. The youngest player in the circle goes first, and then play proceeds around the table. When it’s someone’s turn, they spin the dreidel. When the dreidel lands, whichever Hebrew letter is facing up is the required result:

Nun: Nothing happens, and the play proceeds to the next player.
Gimel: The spinning player wins the entire pot and a new round starts with the next player.
Hay: The spinning player gets half the pot, and the play proceeds to the next player.
Shin (or Peh, in Israel): The spinning player has to pay a penalty to the pot (usually the same amount as the ante), and the play proceeds to the next player.

If a player runs out of chocolates (or whatever you’re playing for), they’re eliminated from the game and the game proceeds. Keep playing for either a predetermined set of rounds or until everyone except for the winner is eliminated.

7. Give Hanukkah gifts.

Hanukkah has become (in)famous for its alleged eight nights of gifts. This is a product of modern commercialization, but it can still be fun. Hanukkah shouldn’t be thought of as an alternative Christmas, so don’t feel obligated to satisfy every Macy’s wishlist. In our family, we don’t necessarily do physical gifts every night, but we do try to give our children experiences they will enjoy and remember. The best gifts, after all, are time. In years past, this has meant having a family game night, making cookies together, getting new Bibles, going to a restaurant, watching a new movie as a family, getting new shoes, and stuff like that.

8. Decorate your home for Hanukkah.

Hanukkah is also known as the “Festival of Lights.” So use the occasion to fill your home with candles, oil lamps, twinkle lights, tinsels and foils, and other things that produce or reflect light. Having eight nights of fireplace-and-candle-lit ambiance can do wonders to help lift the mood in the winter's darkness. And if you need things more overt than that, there’s no shortage of tacky and tasteful Hanukkah decor available online and in most larger stores. There are banners, window clings, inflatable yard menorahs, tablecloths, decorative hand towels, plates, seasonal candles, and endless other decorations available.

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate it, Hanukkah has a rich history and can be a great family tradition. It’s a perfect opportunity to reflect on the Light of the World and to spend time with your friends, family, church, and other loved ones. Don’t stress over the details. Just experience it. Your Messiah did.

— John

How to Celebrate a Christian Hanukkah