BIRMINGHAM
gift guide
continued from page 44
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CHANUWKIAH TOUR
If you live in a "Jewish area," where
lots of families celebrate the holi-
day, try taking a Chanukiah Tour.
In Israel, for example, one can walk
around the streets and see everyone's
lights in the windows. When lighting
your own menorah, make a big deal
of putting it in the window and help
people remember that you can be
proud to be a Jew.
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46 December 3 •2015
Orthodox Jews might preclude playing
music or driving, Chanukah is eight
days (except for a regularly observed
Shabbat) of unabashed fun.
Birthday in a Box (birthdayinabox.
com) offers traditional Chanukah
party tips, as well as some fun and
quirky new spins on Chanukah deco-
rations, food and favors.
DREIDEL TOURNAMENT
You have a little dreidel — so use it!
Pull the neighbors, young and old,
together for a dreidel tournament.
Break into teams of three and four and
get spinning. We use candy as prizes.
(It's best to use something wrapped
since it will be touched by lots of little
hands.)
You can purchase dreidels in bulk
from Judaica.com or often at local
synagogue gift shops. It adds to the
excitement when you have dreidels of
various sizes and colors.
If you're particularly serious about
dreidel-playing, I found a website for
a "Chai stakes" dreidel tournament
(worldseriesofdreidel.com ) that breaks
down the "official" rules and regula-
tions for "World Series Dreidel." In my
house, however, we seem to do better
when the children are free to cry over
spinning too many Hebrew-letter shins
(put two antes in the center), and the
prize is Hershey's Kisses.
TALK ABOUT THE MIRACLE
While fulfilling the mitzvah of
candles burning at least 30 min-
utes, take that time each night to
sit around the Chanukah candles
to discuss the miracles of the holi-
day and some of its more esoteric
significance. One friend tells his
children this: "When HaShem cre-
ated the world there were no stars or
planets. The ohr — the light — was
non-physical or, the light of God.
I tell my children that we can use
HaShem's light like a soldier uses
night-vision goggles ... to see His
hidden miracles, to appreciate the
spiritual light."
SHOP —
FOR SOMEONE IN NEED
Many families and synagogues will
volunteer to work with a charity to
receive the names of local families
in need — Jewish and non-Jewish.
They can be provided those families'
holiday wish lists then go shopping
for them (instead of for themselves).
They can wrap the gifts and even
deliver them in person.
A friend remembers that one year
they got a family that had a tree.
"But it was completely empty under-
neath," she says. "We put all the gifts
there and it was so unexpected. The
children were so happy."
RE-ENACT THE
CHANUKAH STORY
Younger children can enjoy a game
of dress-up. If you have enough
kids or can get classmates involved,
a re-enactment of the Chanukah
story can add to the spirit of the
eight days. Kids enjoy dressing up in
togas (just use some old sheets) and
wielding plastic swords and shields.
To make it easier, use a book, such
as The Story of Chanukah by Norma
Simon, as a guide. *