by Jennifer Wilck
Hanukkah, the Jewish holiday celebrating the miracle of the oil and the rededication of the Second Temple after the defeat of the Syrian Empire, feels especially poignant this year. With the state of the world and all the hatred that is so easily spewed online and in the streets, any chance to let a little light and joy into our lives needs to be grabbed with both hands. Since it falls on Christmas, it’s an especially festive time, and easily celebrated with family and friends.
The holiday lasts for eight days, and here are eight ways my family and I plan to celebrate:
Latkes. Potato pancakes are a staple of the holiday, and my oldest daughter loves mine. I make them from scratch—shredded potatoes, onions, flour, salt, pepper, egg, and a TON of oil. My house smells for days afterward, which is why I hate making them, but I do it every year because she loves them. And, since she’s actually coming home this year for the holiday, I have no excuse not to. We tend to eat them plain, but they’re delicious with applesauce or sour cream, and if you really want to get fancy, you can add lox, or make sweet potato or zucchini latkes!
Hanukkah gelt. Chocolate is always a great way to celebrate anything. The gold foil coins are festive, but the stores keep them forever and resell the next year what they didn’t sell this year. So, what’s even better is making your own! My preference is dark chocolate, but milk chocolate is also good. The only downside is they rarely last long enough to get covered in foil.
Dreidel games. Every Jewish child learns to play dreidel, and Jewish students come home at this time of year with lots of colored plastic dreidels. So in our house, we have an entire bowl of them. My mother-in-law used to play dreidel with my girls when they were young, and even to this day, we’ll often sit down and play. Each letter on the side of the dreidel represents an action you take with the pennies (or M&Ms—can you tell we’re a chocolate family?) in the middle—put one in, take half, take all or get nothing.
Family get-together. This is, by far, my favorite part of the holiday. I love all of us together in one place. Multi-generations with lots of love. We sit around enjoying each other’s company, open presents, and eat yummy food. I love watching the cousins play and talk together.
Outdoor lighting. There is always an outdoor menorah lighting somewhere in town. Sometimes it’s at my synagogue. Other times it’s at the town hall. I don’t always go to them—I’m much more of a private person and prefer to celebrate holidays with those near and dear to me. However, with all the hatred of the past couple of years, I’m going to take advantage of any chance I have to celebrate light in the darkness. So this year, I’ll be at my town’s menorah lighting.
Menorahs. Speaking of menorahs, I love displaying all of the various kinds that we have. My husband has a wooden one that he made as a child. I have a tin one given to me by my grandparents after a trip to Israel. When my husband and I got married, we were given a silver and brass one to celebrate our wedding. Our children have lots of ceramic ones they made over the years in Hebrew school. And, they also have ones we gave them when they were young, and then ones they picked out as young adults (apparently, it’s embarrassing to continue to use a Winnie the Pooh one. Who knew?). Needless to say, we have a LOT of menorahs. And while we don’t light all of them every year, each one holds special memories.
Fried Oreos. Many years ago, my husband and I went to a county fair and tasted fried Oreos for the first time. We fell in love, and shortly thereafter, I found a recipe to make them at home. No, I don’t make them often—the deep frying would kill us all—but since Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of the oil, it’s the perfect time to make this treat. You know, in case we haven’t had enough oily fried foods during the eight days.
Hanukkah romances. I couldn’t be a romance writer without mentioning these. Hanukkah romance books have grown in popularity over the years, and now feature in most “holiday romance lists”—including this one from Entertainment Weekly Magazine (https://ew.com/18-holiday-romance-novels-8757151). Just as I love to read Christmas books and celebrate the joy of the season, Hanukkah books also spread that joy. And as a writer of Jewish romance, I have three this season:
Deadlines, Donuts & Dreidels: Her childhood crush may be her best story yet.
Journalist Jessica Sacks’s career is on the line if she doesn’t ace this next assignment. She must interview firefighter Thomas Carville, Browerville’s celebrated hero—and her forever crush since childhood. When Jessica returns home for Hanukkah, handsome Thomas takes her breath away. And rudely shuts her down when she asks for an interview.Thomas knows he and the man he saved are both lucky to be alive, regardless of his actions. And now Jessica is poking into his business. Thomas would rather kiss her under the mistletoe than answer her questions. But his priority is protecting his sobriety and his secret. They’re as far apart as Christmas and Hanukkah, but even their differences can’t trump the power of love.
Fortune’s Holiday Surprise: He’d lost the holiday spirit…
Until she brought light back into his life.Rancher Arlo Fortune is devastated when he loses his best friend in a tragic accident. The only thing that heals him is opening his heart to his friend’s adorable daughter, Aviva…and his friend’s grieving sister-in-law, the brand-new guardian to the orphaned child. Carrie Kaplan has one mission: to lavish her niece with love in a Jewish home like her sister always wanted. Her stop in Chatelaine is only temporary. Right? But as she teaches Aviva about the miracle of Hanukkah, holiday magic might just beckon from Arlo’s ranch around the bend…
Waiting for a Miracle
Benjamin Cohen, widowed father of six-year-old Jessie, is doing his best to hold it together through order and routine. The last thing he needs is his matchmaker mother to set him up with her next door neighbor, no matter how attractive she is.Rachel Schaecter's dream of becoming a foster mother is right within her grasp, until her meddlesome neighbor tries to set her up with her handsome son. What's worse? He's the father of her favorite kindergarten student! She can't afford to let anything come between her and her dream, no matter how gorgeous he may be.Can these two determined people trust in the miracle of Hanukkah to let love and light into their lives?
Whatever you celebrate, I hope that as you look out your window at the snow-covered ground, your view is lightened and your heart is filled with joy by the magic and light of the holidays!
Jennifer Wilck
Jennifer Wilck is an award-winning contemporary romance author for readers who are passionate about love, laughter, and happily ever after. Known for writing both Jewish and non-Jewish romances, her books feature damaged heroes, sassy and independent heroines, witty banter and hot chemistry. Jennifer’s ability to transport the reader into the scene, create characters the reader will fall in love with, and evoke a roller coaster of emotions, will hook you from the first page. You can find her books at all major online retailers in a variety of formats.
Jennifer started telling herself stories as a little girl when she couldn’t fall asleep at night. Pretty soon, her head was filled with these stories and the characters that populated them. Even as an adult, she thinks about the characters and stories at night before she falls asleep or walking the dog. Eventually, she started writing them down. Her favorite stories to write are those with smart, sassy, independent heroines; handsome, strong and slightly vulnerable heroes; and her stories always end with happily ever after.
In the real world, she’s the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men she knows. She believes humor is the only way to get through the day and does not believe in sharing her chocolate.
Author Links:
Website: https://www.jenniferwilck.com
Facebook Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/879114386079365
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Enjoyed your post. I will be getting one or your books to read - sound good.
I love adding fried Oreos to the mix as a continued celebration of the miracle of oil!
I enjoyed your post and the books sound wonderful! Thanks for sharing a piece of yourself with us!
Thanks for sharing Jennifer. When I was growing up in East New York I loved seeing all the menorahs in my neighbors' windows. Happy Hanukkah.
Thanks for coming today, Jennifer! I love your post! Happy Hanukkah.