Many Similarities Between Christmas And Hanukkah Traditions

Christmas and Hanukkah both have their own sets of traditions, in which Christian and Jewish people, respectively, participate. According to the Jewish Hanukkah story, Maccabees and his people went to the temple and cleaned and repaired it.

The temple had been looted and destroyed during the Maccabees revolt. After the repairs and cleaning was done, the people wanted to rededicate the temple. They had to light the Hanukkah menorah for the rededication ceremony.

However, there was only a small flask of oil available that would only burn for one night. They decided to light the menorah. The oil kept burning for eight days, just enough time for them to get more oil.

This miracle is commemorated by the Jewish people by lighting candles on the Hanukkah Menorah for each day of Hanukkah, which is eight days. Christmas, on the other hand, is the Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus.

While holiday foods may be traditional, you do not have to participate in Christmas and Hanukkah to enjoy them. One Hanukkah traditional food is jelly doughnuts, which do not have a hole but are very popular in Israel.

The doughnuts are called sufganiyot and are sold over the month before Hanukkah begins. To make the doughnuts, one drops the dough into hot oil without shaping it. The result is a funny and odd shaped doughnut that is then covered in powdered cinnamon or sugar.

While these doughnuts are not traditional in the Christmas holiday, cookies can be found in great abundance during the Christian celebration.

For both Christmas and Hanukkah, people exchange gifts and cards as part of their celebrations. Many traditions are largely celebrated within both the Hanukkah and Christmas holidays.

Both are religious holidays, however Christmas is also celebrated by individuals who do not participate in the religious traditions. For many, Christmas is more of a cultural celebration.

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