https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:56:07 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2790003 Mon, 04 Dec 2017 16:57:43 +0000 CakeLady 2790003@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, and the grandparents tend to go crazy, so we do a bunch of little things and one bigger thing for each holiday. Specifically, for Hanukkah I like to do one gift per night. Some of small gifts this year will be books, bath color tabs, bubble bath, markers, a sweatshirt, a playmobil character (x2 night), a new pillow, PJs, a fridge magnet (he loves them). I think one of the big gifts will be a balance bike. We'll probably also get him a costume or two. That sounds like alot so I hope that's everything... :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789937 Mon, 04 Dec 2017 13:40:47 +0000 babycanuck 2789937@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We celebrate both - I am Jewish, my husband is Catholic.</p> <p>We are doing what I got growing up - 7 days of small gifts, not necessarily dollar store but something relatively inexpensive, and one larger gift.</p> <p>This year with my son being 2, we are doing 7 days of books and then he's getting a few Thomas trains &amp; alphabet cards. Not "big" but he's still so young and has so much, and he will get a lot at Christmas. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789787 Sun, 03 Dec 2017 06:24:01 +0000 ElbieKay 2789787@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband and I just discussed this. We had two "bigger" gifts and decided to give those on the first and last nights. I wrapped up books for the other six nights, one of which is a sticker/activity book.</p> <p>My husband is not Jewish so my son will also be getting some Christmas gifts. So we didn't want to go too crazy, but I grew up getting one gift per night when I was a young child. Once I got to late elementary school my parents got fewer gifts but "bigger"/more expensive ones. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789296 Thu, 30 Nov 2017 09:01:17 +0000 nana87 2789296@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>thanks everyone! </p> <p>I realized in writing this that I was really just annoyed with dh, haha. We had a talk about him being a scrooge and being negative about my gift ideas. So he came up with some ideas of his own about things lo1 might like, such as games. </p> <p>@SweetiePie: great ideas!</p> <p>@lioneyes: getting home after dark is def an issue we're going to have! in previous years I don't think lo has been old enough to understand, so it hasn't been a big deal that we skip nights here or there. She's starting to understand the calendar though so I want to do 8 nights now, but I think there are like 3 where we won't both be home...</p> <p>@Anya: themes sounds so fun!</p> <p>@MrsLonghorn: those are such great ideas! I feel like there's a balance of 8 nights--it's a LOT of gifts (we're in an apt so....) but I DO want it to be special. Your way sounds great!</p> <p>@Meowkers: my birthday is in January so I def understand the gift crush, it's intense!</p> <p>@Baby Boy Mom: do you give the grandparents' gifts on the first night? I'm just not sure what my mil is doing/when she'll have gifts. She usually just gives gifts when she sees us. As I got older we stopped doing presents each night and it was just lovely having candles.</p> <p>@hummusgirl: lol about the orange! I can see lo1 getting super excited about something like that! that's so fun that you play hot or cold! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789249 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 21:39:22 +0000 hummusgirl 2789249@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do a present a night. We usually buy about half and the rest come from family. . My MIL already sent us her presents (one for each kid) since we won't see her during the holiday. </p> <p>We often do experience gifts, or "gift" activities we were already planning to do. Last year we signed LO1 up for a nature/forest class so that was one night (we wrapped a box of leaves, acorns, and sticks to represent it). This year it may be T-ball. One year we literally wrapped an orange. And he was so excited for it! </p> <p>We hide the gifts in the living room and play "hot or cold" to find them. He didn't really get it for the first few years, but I grew up with it and am carrying on the tradition. </p> <p>This year we have a few smallish things on the list: bath crayons, a watermelon (my 2-year-old is obsessed), a pumpkin with the intent to make bread or a pie, Highlights Kids magazine. We have to think about anything we might want to get throughout the year because we generally don't give gifts any other time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789233 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 20:12:45 +0000 Anya 2789233@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsLonghorn: that's great I think I need to steal your plan for each night! :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789228 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 19:53:30 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 2789228@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We only do gifts on the first night. The kids usually end up with quite a bit between what the grandparents send and the few things we get. The other nights we just do candles and singing but make a big deal of it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789184 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 16:09:09 +0000 Meowkers 2789184@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We celebrate Hannukah and Christmas so it's a little insane at our house. DD gets gifts on each night of Hannukah but most of them are small with one larger gift that is equal to her Christmas gift. This year her smaller gifts are nail polish, a stuffed animal she's been wanting, dinosaur figurines, and an I Spy book. Still working out the other small gifts. Her big gift is a subscription box from koala crate. </p> <p>Then she gets one large gifts from us for Christmas and I medium gift from Santa. THEN her birthday follows 2 weeks later and she gets the biggest gift. It's gift insanity in our house in December and Janurary. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789174 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 15:21:18 +0000 MrsLonghorn 2789174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are Jewish and both DH and I grew up with a present every night, even if it was something small. But, the grandparents did not send 8 gifts -- we had an extended family celebration and dinner and got a few gifts then. </p> <p>That said, I already know my MIL is sending 8 gifts, despite our request that she not. She has even specified which gift must be opened which night. I do not know what my parents are doing, but I'm sure it will be at least a few things. </p> <p>We really strive for a somewhat minimalist, montessori-inspired household, and he does NOT need 24 gifts (and that number is before he gets things from family friends, aunts, etc...).</p> <p>DS is 3, and we will be doing the following variation on "what, need, wear, read" for the 8 nights:<br /> * Want (he asked for rainbow glitter nail polish)<br /> * Need (bath toy)<br /> * Wear (he asked for black pj bottoms to match momma)<br /> * Read (book)<br /> * Tzedakah/Giving to Others (we'll go shopping together for a pet supplies pantry, and he'll pick out a gift for our dog)<br /> * Experience (the super fancy aquarium? visiting the best holiday lights display past his bedtime?)<br /> * something Disposable (National Geographic Little Kids subscription)<br /> * something Interactive/Family Event (DIY pizza making dinner) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789172 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 15:16:43 +0000 Anya 2789172@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We light the candles each night and exchange gifts only on one night. In the future I think I want to do some sort of theme for each of the other nights... like cooking latkes/donuts, making a craft, tzedakah, etc. Well that only brings me to 4 total nights so clearly it's not fleshed out yet lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789167 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 14:57:18 +0000 lioneyes 2789167@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Growing up, I always got something to open all 8 nights with the big present on the last night. But the rest could be stocking stuffers almost- I always got a headband one night, and a new pair of gloves one night, and socks one night for example (sorry if that brings back bad memories :shocked: ).</p> <p>Because DS goes to bed before DH gets home, now we do 1 night of Hannukah where he gets all (4-5 gifts) and then we end up lighting the candles with my parents and then also ILs. When he's older I will do 8 nights but most will be small things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789163 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 14:51:43 +0000 SweetiePie 2789163@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: or what about some wintery/Hanukkah type PJs? She could open one of the first nights and wear them through Hanukkah. Slippers. Could even be a treat like a dreidel cookie or something.<br /> Trying to think of things that are still useful/not a toy/consumable/reasonably priced. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789151 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 14:19:56 +0000 SweetiePie 2789151@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: 😂 socks might not be very exciting, I’ll give you that. But I think things like art supplies, book, coloring book, a mash’em, whatever are all small but still exciting for a 3yo. Or heck even something she does need like underwear but with a character she doesn’t have yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789145 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 14:04:58 +0000 nana87 2789145@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetiePie: oh that's a good way to do it, I've just always randomly chosen what she gets each night, haha. </p> <p>We always did one per night, but it wasn't always one just for me--like we used to receive Harry &amp; David gift baskets and that would be one night. And sometimes nights were disappointing, like I will never forget when I was sick one year in elementary school and (very dramatically) dragged myself out of bed to light the candles, and then received a gift my aunt had sent from out of town...and it was a pair of socks. I think I cried, lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789143 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 13:58:42 +0000 SweetiePie 2789143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don’t celebrate Hanukkah per se, but my husband is Jewish. He said that growing up they opened one a night but they started pretty small and got bigger each night (not necessarily physical size, but you know what I mean). So I think doing some really small stuff for the first few nights and building up to the “biggest” one would be good.<br /> Like the art supplies you mentioned. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-celebrate-hannukah#post-2789142 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 13:55:00 +0000 nana87 2789142@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>...how many presents are you buying for lo(s)? Do you do one present per night?</p> <p>Now that lo1 is old enough (3.5) to start understanding and remembering various holiday traditions, I'm trying to decide if I've gotten "enough" gifts (I have 5 if I realllllly stretch it out...). I'd like to have something for her to open each night because I always did growing up, plus she's starting to be jealous about not celebrating Christmas so I want Hannukah to feel really special. Dh keeps saying I have enough, but my gift stash doesn't cover 8 nights; my parents will def give gifts one night, but I'm not sure what else--mil always gifts something but we'll see her after the holiday is over so whatever she gives might not be opened until after. Same with my brother/his fam--we usually get a box of belated gifts in January from them, haha. </p> <p>I'm thinking I might just restock some of her art supplies and wrap them to fill out a night or two--like new markers, new washi tape, etc. There are other things I think she'd like, but dh keeps being a scrooge, to mix holiday metaphors ;) </p>