Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights, is a time of celebration for many. An eight-day holiday celebrated anytime in late November to late December (depending on when the 25th day of Kislev is, according to the Hebrew calendar), this is a time when families and friends gather to celebrate and share good tidings. If you want to plan an event to celebrate, check out these ideas for creating a fun party.
Plan a Menu with Traditional Hanukkah Dishes
When you’re hosting an event for Hanukkah, one of the best places to start is at the dinner table—that is, creating a menu that draws from tradition and perhaps even incorporates modern riffs on old favorites. Traditional fare for Hanukkah includes brisket or chicken, potato latkes, jelly-filled donuts called Sufganiot, mulled wine or fruit punch, applesauce, and more. Other traditional dishes may include mushroom salad or mushroom soup—typically with porcini mushrooms, carrot dishes like salads or even a carrot cake, butter cookies and kugel, a noodle dish. You can prepare a buffet of these items and create your own interesting takes on the dishes, perhaps with things like adding zucchini into your latkes for additional veggies, poached pears for dessert, cakes that feature chocolate gelt, and more.
Make Sure There’s Activities for the Kids
Chances are there’ll be kids at your party. It’s important to plan activities for them, since when the adults are socializing, they’ll get bored if there’s nothing planned. Make sure to have things like board games or Hanukkah movies/cartoons on deck, or set up creative craft stations where kids can decorate candles or menorahs. For great craft ideas for your event, check out these ideas. Make sure there’s kid-friendly food on the menu and make sure to set up kids’ tables if there’s a lot of them attending, so that they can hang out with people their own age and have fun while their parents socialize.
Deck out Your Home or Venue with Festive Colors
Décor is important for holiday events. It creates the festive mood that people so look forward to and makes an ordinary room look like something special. For your Festival of Lights event, choose silver, blue, and white table linen, such as a blue table cloth and a silver runner with white napkins. Make sure to hang holiday lights around the event space for additional flair, and consider draping chair covers or chair ties for even more great-looking additions to the room. Dressing up the room for the event will help set the tone for your party and will help your guests feel more inclined to get in that party mood.
What are your favorite ways to make a Festival of Lights event extra cheerful and celebratory? Let us know in the comments!
Photo Credit: Debi Lilly / A Perfect Event
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