How many gifts do you give for Hanukkah?

There is no single answer to this very individual question. Some parents, for example, give a modest gift to each child on each of the 8 nights of Hanukkah. Others give a single gift on the last day of Hanukkah.

What kinds of gifts are given for Hanukkah?

Hanukkah isn’t a traditional gift-giving Jewish holiday. The practice of gift-giving on Hanukkah is an American tradition that began in the 19th- or early 20th century. Most historians acknowledge that the gift-giving component probably has something to do with the fact that Christmas and Hanukkah fall near to one another on the calendar, and Jewish parents wanted to offer their children something material during their own holiday celebration to keep them from feeling left out. Nevertheless, while the commercialization of Christmas has grown more extravagant and excessive over time, despite the fact that Hanukkah is an 8-day celebration, Hanukkah gifts are generally modest in nature to keep the focus on the holiday. Charitable gifts are also popular for Hanukkah.

Why do you give gifts at Hanukkah?

Hanukkah gift-giving is an American tradition. Whereas Hanukkah is celebrated around the world with the lighting of the menorah candles on 8 consecutive nights, feasting on latkes, and spinning dreidels, American Jews added gift-giving to the equation to make it more fun.

The 30 Best Hanukkah Gifts of 2023

Celebrating the nights of Hanukkah is a precious time that can be highlighted with the perfect present.

We researched brands that offer Hanukkah-themed gifts, those that have a connection to lights, and gifts that are just downright tasty. Our list includes a menorah set from West Elm, hand-blown wine glasses from Estelle Colored Glass, and more.

Here are the best Hanukkah gifts.

Harry & David

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If you're bringing a gift for the hostess or just want to have something delivered, this Hanukkah-themed box is full of delectable treats. Great for sharing with friends one of the nights of Hanukkah, the basket includes English muffins, scones, rugelach, and more. It's such a fun, sweet surprise and the box can be reused long after the holiday.

Rolled Honeycomb Beeswax Chanukah Candles

Rite Lite

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Lucky for you, we found a top-rated candle pick perfect for your menorah! These honey-scented beeswax options are hand-rolled and sit 4.5 inches high, so they’re bound to fit your centerpiece while giving off a pretty scent in the process. Plus they stay well lit, so the fun doesn’t have to end early. With a variety of cool colors to choose from, these are guaranteed to be a hit at your gathering.

Price at time of publish: $18

VAHDAM

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Speaking of staying cozy, VAHDAM's Hanukkah tea sets are the perfect way to stay warm in the wind and cold. This four-piece gift set perfect for anyone on your list includes Vanilla Spiced Masala Chai, Turmeric Spiced Herbal Tea, Chocolate Vanilla Herbal Tea & Hibiscus Rush Black Tea. The collectible box is a present in itself that our recipient will want to save and use again and again.

Price at time of publish: $20

West Elm

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For a truly unique menorah, Keraclay's design is actually a set of individual candle holders. The handmade, speckled clay holders fit most average size candles and switches things up from the traditional design. The style is so sleek and fun, one or all of the holders can easily be used for year-round decor.

Price at time of publish: $68

Edible

View On Ediblearrangements.com

If you're bringing a gift for the hostess or just want to have something delivered, this fruit arrangement is a plum pick. The sweet treats include strawberries, honeydew, cantaloupe, and even pineapples in the shape of the Star of David. The fruit's all natural and sure to be a nice treat. Choose between small, medium, or large sizes.

Price at time of publish: $90 for a large Star of David

The Dreidel Company

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Prepare for hours of holiday baking and family bonding time with these cookie cutters from The Dreidel Company. The five stainless-steel cookie cutters come in the shape of popular Hanukkah motifs including a menorah, a dreidel, a Maccabee shield, a candle, and the star of David. The nonstick cutters clean easily, so don't be afraid to get messy with your baking this holiday season.

Price at time of publish: $10

Estelle Colored Glass

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Pretty much anyone can use more glassware. But these aren't your typical wine glasses. The set of six rose-colored glasses is hand blown and features a vintage style inspired by the owner's grandmother. Any recipient will love adding these to their roster of drinkware.

Price at time of publish: $170

Our Place

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For a present they'll use during Hanukkah and every week after, look to the Our Place Shabbat Set. From the brand behind the viral Always Pan, the Shabbat Set comes with a multipurpose oven pan, a reusable oven mat, a challah cover from MINNA, and two beeswax candle sticks, so your recipient has everything they need to celebrate the Jewish holidays and all the Shabbat dinners in between.

Price at time of publish: $150

Monica + Andy

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These fun pajamas come in adult and kids' sizes, perfect for gifting for everyone in the family. They're made from organic cotton and spandex and are slightly stretchy for the perfect fit. For an extra $15, you can even have your garments embroidered with the recipients' initials—just note that this will take longer shipping time.

Price at time of publish: $20

Uncommon Goods

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Most people probably know their birthstone, but what about their birth flower? For example, January is a carnation, July is lavender, and a red zinnia represents December. This birth month flower grow kit includes seeds, soil, a vase, and instructions. Choose the kit that corresponds to the recipient's birth month and this is truly a present they'll love to watch grow, personalized to their zodiac sign preparation during the holidays.

Price at time of publish: $36

The Best Valentine's Day Flower Delivery Services

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Homesick.com View On Macy's

Homesick has candles for every occasion and Hanukkah is no exception. The latkes and lights candle looks sleek and attractive on a mantle or tabletop and emanates an odor of baked apple, potato, butter, and pound cake. Now, your home will always smell like there's something delicious baking in the oven (even when there's not).

Price at time of publish: $38

Creative Memories

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Gift your creative friend this scrapbook bundle, complete with three sheets of stickers, 12 sheets of 12 x 12-inched, photo-safe scrapbook paper, and designed titles and borders for holidays like Hanukkah, Sukkot, Rosh Hashanah and more.

Threshold

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The chef in your family needs this adorable apron from the Target brand Threshold to wear while preparing this year's Hanukkah dinner. The blue cotton apron features the word "nosh" and has adjustable waist straps and deep pockets to keep cooking essentials close. Plus, it's machine washable.

Price at time of publish: $10

Amazon

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The Amazon Echo Dot will be the little helper you need to pull off the perfect evening. With hands-free voice control, all you have to do is ask for your favorite artist or song for background tunes for the night, an ideal gift for your child's teacher. With access to top music-streaming services like Pandora, Spotify, and iHeartRadio, you’ll have everything you need to fill the room with music you love. And since the Echo is Bluetooth-enabled, you can also stream other popular services from your personal phone or tablet.

Price at time of publish: $60

Mondo Llama

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Spend some quality time with little ones during the holiday season with this Hanukkah craft kit from Mondo Llama and Target. The kit features eight different Hanukkah crafts, so you can complete one every day of the holiday. Some of the festive creations include a dreidel garland to a Star of David window hanging.

Price at time of publish: $10

Sugarfina

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Count down the eight nights of Hanukkah with a special treat each day from Sugarfina. Each night, family and friends can come together to open and enjoy a new Kosher candy. Some of the delicious flavors include dark chocolate toffee almonds, oatmeal cookies, and champagne bubbles.

eCreamery

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If you're not afraid to get a bit chilly this winter, we love the 8-night collection of ice cream from eCreamery. Celebrate each night of Hanukkah with a new flavor of delicious ice cream including butter pecan, frosted sugar cookies, peppermint mocha, and more. Another plus—5 percent of every purchase goes directly to the Jewish Federation of Omaha.

Squishmallows

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This December, cuddle up on the couch during the cold weather with a Squishmallow companion that makes a great Hanukkah gift. The beloved plush animals now feature an adorable Hanukkah bear named Kofi who comes complete with a Yakama and blue outfit with a lit menorah shining all season long.

Price at time of publish: $30

Amazon

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Explore one of the most praised cookbooks of its time from The New York Times bestselling author of Plenty. With over 120 recipes using the signature tastes of Jerusalem, you’ll find everything from hearty vegetable dishes to decadent desserts, all with a unique cross-cultural take from Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities, perfect for gifting a friend who celebrates Christmas.

Price at time of publish: $35

Courtesy of Goldbelly

View On Goldbelly.com

Goldbelly makes it easy to cater your holiday dinners from iconic spots all across the country. For the perfect Hanukkah brunch, look to this brunch package for six people from Ess-a-Bagel in New York City. The gift features the shop's legendary giant bagels in the flavors of your choosing with lox, cream cheese, and smoked fish salad available to add on.

Price at time of publish: $100

Fantastic Square Alligator Serving Tray with Matte Finish Design

Amazon

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Made with a stylish alligator print in a metal or matte finish, this tray is the perfect way to showcase everything from a yummy appetizer while entertaining to odds and ends on a coffee table. It measures more than 15 inches long so the tray can hold quite a few items. While it has a high-end look, especially the gold one, this tray won't set you back a ton, but your recipient will love it.

Piecework

View On Pieceworkpuzzles.com

Get the whole family together for the holidays to complete this intricate and festive puzzle from Piecework. Hilariously named "Oy to the World," the 500-piece puzzle comes together to reveal a Hanukkah table packed with candles, drinks, and Jewish delicacies. You'll want to frame the puzzle once it's done to keep a bit of the holiday spirit in your home year-round.

Amazon

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Elevate your traditional menorah with this beautiful, polished silvertone design. It’s made from a die-cast cut to make the menorah more durable and one that can be enjoyed for years to come! Paired with a picturesque silver finish and all you need is a special set of candles to complete what’s bound to be an elegant and special celebration.

Price at time of publish: $17

Lula's Garden

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For friends with a green thumb, gift this succulent garden from Lula's Garden. The three succulents arrive in a handcrafted gift box that reads "Happy Hanukkah" with bright menorahs surrounding it. The gorgeous plants need little care but come with a water dropper to keep them alive and happy for years to come.

Price at time of publish: $48

Uncommon Goods

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Holidays are a great time for celebrating and if your recipient loves bubbly, this cute gift will be a hit. Just drop one or two of the flavor-infused sugar cubes into a glass of champagne and it's an instant mimosa or bellini. Each pack comes with six cubes and the flavors are a citrus trio or peaches & berry trio. Make this gift even better by purchasing your loved one's favorite champagne so they can start sipping right away.

Price at time of publish: $30

Chatbooks

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Because many of us are so used to digital photos and snapping pics on the go, there's something special about a photo album that highlights memories. Chatbooks makes it easy to upload your favorite pics and edit and arrange them into a personalized photo book. You can even add personalized captions. A 30-page book starts at just $15.

Best Photo Album Websites

Amazon

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This 20-inch long twisted chain necklace is topped off with a traditional Star of David and it also comes with a convenient two-inch extender. Some affordable jewelry can have a cheap, shiny look, but this one is wallet-friendly and also looks more high-end thanks to the stainless steel finish. Choose between the classic silver or gold tone, or truly go for a stand-out piece with the black.

Price at time of publish: $13

Trace Chanukiah.

Courtesy of Via Maris

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Everyone can appreciate a great set of candles for lighting the menorah and these come in a set of 45. They're made of paraffin wax, which means less dripping, and each candle has approximately an hour of burn time. Choose between blue, cool white, clay, or yellow.

Price at time of publish: $165

See's Candies

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Try See's Candies' bag of chocolate gold coins for a sweet treat kids and adults will love. Each coin features the brand's classic milk chocolate wrapped in shiny gold foil. Give out the 21 pieces individually, wrap them in tiny bags for party favors, or spread them over a dinner table for fun, edible decor.

Price at time of publish: $7

The 26 Best Chocolate Gifts of 2023

David A. Adler

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The story of Hanukkah comes alive in an exciting, digestible way in this board book designed for kids of all ages. Written by David A. Adler and illustrated by Jill Weber, the adorable book features intricate illustrations and educational materials including a traditional recipe for latkes and directions for a dreidel game.

Price at time of publish: $8

Light-Related

Hanukkah is the festival of lights. During the 8-day holiday, progressive candles are lit on a menorah. This makes light-themed gifts such as decorative menorahs, Shabbat candlesticks, candles, or lights a fail-proof Hanukkah gift choice.

Connection With Judaism

Gifts that relate to Jewish identity and the history of Judaism make Hanukkah-appropriate gifts. Examples include Hanukkah-themed children’s books that will inform and entertain, Dead Sea bath salts, or Hanukkah-themed tableware. You can also find plenty of ready-made Hanukkah-themed gift sets, from spa essentials to tea collections and more.

Gastronomy

When in doubt, offering food-related gifts at Hanukkah is always welcome. This can include anything from fine olive oil for making traditional Hanukkah latkes to Hannukah cookies from your favorite Jewish deli to gift baskets that include a treat for each of the 8 nights. You can also offer a beautifully-illustrated Jewish food cookbook or entertaining-related gifts such as a set of wine glasses.

FAQ

How many gifts do you give for Hanukkah?

There is no single answer to this very individual question. Some parents, for example, give a modest gift to each child on each of the 8 nights of Hanukkah. Others give a single gift on the last day of Hanukkah.
What kinds of gifts are given for Hanukkah?

Hanukkah isn’t a traditional gift-giving Jewish holiday. The practice of gift-giving on Hanukkah is an American tradition that began in the 19th- or early 20th century. Most historians acknowledge that the gift-giving component probably has something to do with the fact that Christmas and Hanukkah fall near to one another on the calendar, and Jewish parents wanted to offer their children something material during their own holiday celebration to keep them from feeling left out. Nevertheless, while the commercialization of Christmas has grown more extravagant and excessive over time, despite the fact that Hanukkah is an 8-day celebration, Hanukkah gifts are generally modest in nature to keep the focus on the holiday. Charitable gifts are also popular for Hanukkah.
Why do you give gifts at Hanukkah?

Hanukkah gift-giving is an American tradition. Whereas Hanukkah is celebrated around the world with the lighting of the menorah candles on 8 consecutive nights, feasting on latkes, and spinning dreidels, American Jews added gift-giving to the equation to make it more fun.

This roundup was written by Patrice J. Williams. She has contributed gift guides to The Spruce since 2020. She loves helping her friends and family find unique, thoughtful, and wallet-friendly presents. In addition to her work for The Spruce, she writes commerce articles, including product suggestions and reviews, for other outlets as well as appearing on air for The Today Show, WEtv, and she was the Savvy Shopper reporter for WPIX in New York City.

Additional reporting was done by Julia Fields, a lifestyle writer for The Spruce covering all things surrounding toys, gifts, and the holidays. She's also covered similar topics in other roles, including toy reviews, product roundups, crafts, and more.