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Chanukah. The Festival of Lights. To give some background on this jolly good holiday, essentially, the Jews were about to get fucked up by the Romans. After the Romans desecrated the Second Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the Maccabees, led by Judas Maccabeus, meaning Judas Hammer, drove the Romans out of the Holy Temple. However, Jewish law required that the Temple had an eternal light going with this swagging pure kosher oil, and they only had enough for 1 day. However, it lasted 8. So, Jews celebrate Chanukah by eating fried food, playing dreidal, and lighting the hanukiah (the cool candlestick type thing), to celebrate the miracle.

The presents came into the mix after all the Jewish children wanted presents like their Christian counterparts. This year, it runs from December 20th-28th.

In any event, Happy Chanukkah to all who celebrate, and if you don't, I hope you learned something

"A toothache, or a violent passion, is not necessarily diminished by our knowledge of its causes, its character, its importance or insignificance".- T.S. Eliot

Thanks for mentioning Chanukah my dads Jewish so I celebrate that with him and Christmas with my mom and her boyfriends family (exept I'm atheist so neither are a religous thing for me just family time ) and the whole eating fried food isnt really right we eat latkes because it's a Jewish food, also it's called a Menorah
Just fixing your trying to teach us something

Well I gained a new information from this topic, so thank you for that.

@aubrin, hanukiah and menorah are the same thing.

Here's a link that actually says a hanukiah is specially named for Chanukkah: http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/4...ame-thing.html

"A toothache, or a violent passion, is not necessarily diminished by our knowledge of its causes, its character, its importance or insignificance".- T.S. Eliot

Oh I did not know that, my dad always called it a menorah, learn something new every day

Man, the OC has already created the perfect hybrid; Chrismikkuh. There's no changing it.

Chanukwanzamas?

Three major holidays around this time in the US combined into one big happy word.

"A toothache, or a violent passion, is not necessarily diminished by our knowledge of its causes, its character, its importance or insignificance".- T.S. Eliot

I went to a Jewish preschool (even though I'm Catholic) so I remember some of this stuff. Plus my next door neighbor's a rabbi (spelling?) and they've had people over and partying since last Friday. I guess they're enjoying their holiday xD

I just got back from my grandparents to celebrate the first night of Chanukkah... and for the great food.

Hannukah is awesome!

@Vertigo and I are the only jews?