Celebrating Hanukkah? Here’s how to best prep for the Jewish Festival of Lights

Here are 6 things you can do to get ahead of the holiday preparations!
(Image by Elizabeth Karpen)

It’s hard to believe Hanukkah is already around the corner. Not to fret! We’ve got you covered. Here are 6 things you can do to get ahead of the holiday preparations!

Read more: How to celebrate Hanukkah

Stock up on the essentials

It’s the first night of Hanukkah and you’re frantically searching your shelves for last year’s leftover box of candles you’re sure you kept? We’ve all been there.

This year, do yourself a favor and take inventory in advance of Hanukkah. Dust off your Hanukkiah, find those old dreidels, check if you have enough candles (life hack: all Hanukkah boxes come with 44, which is exactly how many candles you light in total). 

If there’s anything missing, you’ll have plenty of time to stock up.

Get into the holiday spirit

Since Hanukkah is so much later than most years, it may feel a little unusual to celebrate in January. The best way to change that? Get festive. 

Making your list of Hanukkah essentials and bringing out the holiday Judaica is sure to already get you in the Hanukkah mood.

(Photo: Shutterstock)

While you’re at it, you may want to go the extra mile to be a little more festive this year. Make a cozy Hanukkah playlist or go all-out with Hanukkah decor!

Take advantage of shopping deals when you prep for Hanukkah

If gift-giving is your thing, you’ll want to take full advantage of Black Friday deals. 

This year, Black Friday is officially November 26 and Cyber Monday is November 29, which is right in time for Hanukkah. 

Luckily, Black Friday is no longer one-and-done. Most stores have already started their sales! Big-name retailers like Amazon, Target, Best Buy and Walmart are already marking down hot holiday gifts by as much as 50%, reported CNBC. 

Plan your candle lighting schedule

Candle lighting isn’t just about the act of lighting the Hannukiah. We all have our own traditions, but ultimately, the holiday is about community and togetherness.

If you plan ahead, you can make each night special in it’s own way. For example, lighting the candles with extended family one night, friends another, you can even plan a Zoom candle lighting for those at a distance. 

Put together a festive menu

No Hanukkah event would be complete without festive treats! 

Think ahead on what exactly you want to make this year so you can stock up on groceries. 

You can go all out on one night with a Hanukkah feast, or you can plan different ideas for each night. A different type of latke for each night of Hanukkah? Now that’s an idea I can definitely get behind.

Learn more about Hanukkah

Check out our guide to the holiday!


How will you prep for Hanukkah? Let us know on Instagram, Twitter and Tik Tok!

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