In The Glow Of Hanukkah: Then and Now
& Fine-Whatever Link-Up

Hanukkah in our home is marked by a handful of familiar traditions: lighting the menorah, enjoying festive meals, and spending time with family and friends. Over the years, our celebrations have shifted a bit as we’ve moved through different seasons of life.

While working on this post, I was also processing the news of the shooting in Australia that targeted a Hanukkah gathering. It’s a tragic and stark reminder that being visibly Jewish, especially in public or communal spaces, can still carry real risk. Even so, I don’t want fear to define how we observe Hanukkah or share it with others. Acknowledging that reality felt necessary before turning to the lighter moments I’ll be sharing here.

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE and the miracle of a small amount of oil that was meant to last one night but burned for eight. That’s why the holiday is marked by lighting the menorah over eight nights, adding one candle each evening.

At its heart, Hanukkah is a celebration of perseverance, faith, and light—both literal and symbolic. It’s not about grand gestures or elaborate displays, but about returning to simple rituals that carry meaning year after year. And while it often falls during the same season as other winter holidays, it stands firmly on its own, rooted in history and tradition.

As a child, Hanukkah celebrations were typically small and straightforward. Occasionally, we were invited to celebrate with extended family, but mostly, Hanukkah was at home. Although my memories are a bit fuzzy, I know that the prayers were recited as we lit the candles on the menorah, my father would grate the potatoes and onions by hand for my mother’s delicious latkes, and of course, there were presents. The one other distinct memory I have from those early years is the lighted six-pointed star my father built, which was the centerpiece of our holiday decorations.

Grandpa Ted, Grandma Babe, Josephine

Grandpa Ted, Josphine, Melissa

the ‘star’ of the show in my parents’ living room

I wasn’t able to get my parents’ old photo albums to look for photos from when I was a child, but I did find the ones above during my search for images for this post. These pictures were taken at my parents’ home in 1995, and it was the first Hanukkah for our daughter Josephine and our niece Melissa. I crafted Josephine’s Hanukkah-themed dress by sewing a ruffled tier onto a store-bought top and using fabric paint to add dreidels and 6-pointed stars. Her socks are similarly decorated, too. Shown with the girls are my parents, along with the gifts that would be opened later that evening and the infamous star. Also there that evening but not shown were my husband, our 3-year-old nephew, my sister, and my brother-in-law.

We would also celebrate each year with my husband’s side of the family. Up until about 10 years ago, we were fortunate to live within a 20-minute drive from our parents and sisters, and we could easily coordinate the scheduling of the different families’ celebrations. My sister-in-law and her husband were usually the hosts for my husband’s side of the family. The one exception was in 1998 when my sister-in-law was 8 months pregnant, so we hosted that year in our home.

As the years went on, the focus naturally shifted to the kids, with cousins growing up side by side and becoming a central part of those Hanukkah gatherings. The photos below are from some of the celebrations with my side of the family.

Sending out holiday cards that feature our children was something we did every year, too. I would come up with a theme, my husband would take the photos, and hopefully the kids would cooperate. The cards were printed at Costco. We did this until the kids were well into their teens. Below is a sampling of the cards.

1997

2010

2002

1998

2001

When it comes to decor, every year it’s like a treasure hunt without a map to see what Hanukkah-themed items would be carried in stores. Sure, the internet has made the hunt more efficient, but not necessarily more fruitful. Many of my tried-and-true brick-and-mortar stores are no longer around (sorely missing BB&B), and the offerings get slimmer and slimmer each year.

Even so, over the years, we/I have amassed quite a collection of dreidels, service ware, and an assortment of blue/white/silver seasonal items. Some years ago, I found blue reindeer, which have absolutely no connection to Hanukkah, but I was amused and bought them anyway. And much to my husband’s chagrin, they make a regular appearance every year.

Style-wise, my seasonal hunts also included Hanukkah-theme garb and accessories, which are few and far between, much like decor items. However, here too I’ve amassed a significant collection of mainly brooches and socks. The ones I’m wearing in these outfit photos are some of my oldest. A few t-shirts have been added to the mix recently as well.

My skirt, the wildcard item from my fall collection, makes its own statement in this look, along with a graphic tee I bought last year. I resisted the urge to pin all of my brooches onto my jacket, but I have done it in the past.

I give another nod to the season through my collection of snowflake motif brooches. I also have a few necklaces. When I was still working, I would wear one (or three) every day in December except during Hanukkah, when I would wear my dreidels and/or menorahs. I still try to abide by that custom even now. The photos below are from the last December I worked.

Nowadays, our celebrations may not be as full of the ruckus as when our children were young, but they’re just as sweet. Last night, it was just the two of us lighting the candles and reciting the blessing. In a few days, our daughter and her partner will be coming back to the area for a few weeks to visit with both of their families and spend time with friends. We’ll be hosting them along with our son and his girlfriend next weekend. Up until a couple of weeks ago, that was all that was on our calendar, but then two invitations came our way. Dear friends have invited us to a party they’re hosting later in the week, plus my husband and I will be going on an overnight trip to attend my sister and brother-in-law’s Hanukkah gathering.

Seen side by side, these moments — past and present — show how Hanukkah in our home has evolved without losing its foundation. Traditions shift, new ones take hold, and familiar ones resurface year after year. It’s less about recreating any one version of the holiday and more about letting it meet us where we are.

What are some of your holiday traditions, and how have they changed over time?

Stay well and let’s keep in touch! Subscribe, follow, friend, pin … all options are available. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

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Photo credit: MMPerez

Note: This is an unsponsored post; however, some or all of the links to clothing items are associated with an affiliate program, where I earn a small commission for each click at no additional cost to you.

Now, onto the Fine-Whatever link-up. As promised, there are two featured posts today to make up for not including one in last week’s post. Smart Casual for the mature woman and Brown Color Combos: Olive were submitted by Pamela from Style Yourself Confidently and Sally from Within A World Of My Own, respectively.