Hanukkah Gift-Giving: 12 Ideas for Adults and Kids

Missed that big Black Friday doorbuster? Failed to nab a Cyber Monday deal? Don’t fret. 

For Hanukkah, special, more thoughtful gifts are best — ones that celebrate the cultural traditions and deep heritage of the Jewish people.

Need help picking out those eight perfect gifts for your loved ones this year? We’ve got you covered.

Thoughtful Hanukkah Gifts For Adults

For the adults in the family, choose gifts that either stand the test of time (they can be used again and again or passed down to generations) or ones that encourage togetherness.

Here are some options:

1. Family treasures

Existing family treasures, like heirlooms, antiques, photo albums, or even family recipe books are great options for Hanukkah gifts. You could also update these items (add new recipes, photos, etc.) or even take time to create new keepsakes, like personalized aprons for latke-making or an engraved menorah.

2. Charitable donations

Honor the Jewish tradition of Tikkun Olam by gifting your loved ones charitable donations that improve the communities and world around them. Make a donation in their name to a local shelter, environmental group, or even the family synagogue.

3. Homemade food

Food plays a huge rule in most Hanukkah celebrations, and gifting your loved ones with some favorite traditional items can be a nice nod to this. Great options include challah bread, jelly donuts (sufganiyot), brisket, and more. You could even make themed desserts, like dreidel-shaped cookies, Star of David chocolates, or blue-and-white cupcakes.

4. Blue cookware or serving ware

Hanukkah is traditionally associated with the colors blue and white — hues prominently featured in the Israeli flag. Celebrate these colors with beautiful blue pots, pans, and serving ware that your loved ones can use year after year (and maybe even pass down across generations.) Dutch ovens are a great option (they’re good for matzo ball soup and brisket), as are ceramic serving trays or even full dish sets.

5. Cozy comforts

Encourage some lazy nights with the family by gifting your loved ones with some warm and cozy creature comforts. Think knit blankets, plush robes, and comfy slippers. You can even throw a fun family movie in there for good measure (Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights, maybe?)

6. DNA kits

Learn more about your lineage by gifting loved ones with DNA kits from Ancestry.com or 23andMe. The easy-to-DIY tests can give you detailed insights about your family’s history and heritage across the centuries. (As a nice bonus, most are running big holiday specials right about now, too.)

For Kids

Have little ones you’re celebrating with? Choose gifts that honor Jewish traditions, while making the holiday fun and family-oriented for your kiddos.

Here are some ideas:

7.  Modern spins on old traditions

Today’s kids might be bored with an old, wooden dreidel or simple, chocolate coins. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to add a modern twist to those time-tested traditions and teach your kiddos to honor generations past. Take this Spin the Dreidel board game, for example, which incorporates trivia, dreidel-spinning, and more. Instead of traditional gelt, consider this giant Hanukkah-theme fortune cookie that opens to reveal a custom fortunate and dozens of multi-sized chocolates.

8.  Family-friendly games and puzzles

Board games, puzzles, and cards are also great options for the little ones, as they’re fun and they encourage some family togetherness. If you can incorporate Hanukkah into the game (like Spin the Dreidel above or this themed puzzle), then even better.

9.  The gift of helping others

You can drive home Tikkun Olam with the kids too, by encouraging them to do something for their neighbor, community, or someone in need for one night of Hanukkah. Help them cook a hot meal for an elderly neighbor, ask them to gather up their old toys to bring to a local shelter, or take them for a visit at a local nursing home. Show them the difference kindness can make on the world around them. 

10. Books about Hanukkah and the Jewish faith

If your kids are on the younger side, the right books can both entertain them and help teach them more about their faith. For multi-faith families, “Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama” is a good choice, and for little ones, “Dear Santa, Love, Rachel Rosenstein” and “Happy Hanukkah, Curious George” are solid options.

11. A family outing

Finally, give your kiddos the gift of time with a fun, pre-planned family outing. Attend a local festival of lights, hit up the zoo, or go see a good movie. You could even let each kid plan one part of the outing themself. 

12. Savings to spend

Use this year’s eight nights to instill financial responsibility in your little one. Give them $1 on night one, $2 on night two, $3 on night three, and so on. By the end of the celebration, they’ll have $36 to either save or spend wisely on whatever they’ve been eyeing.

Happy Hanukkah, from Embrace Home Loans

Need cash to cover those Hanukkah gifts or celebrations? Want to make some home repairs in the new year? A cash-out refinance may be able to help. Get in touch with an Embrace loan officer today to learn more about your options.