Is it just so Jew kids don’t feel left out or is there an actual religous component?
(As in Christmas with regards to the 3 kings bearing gifts to the newborn Jesus….)
It’s more of incorporating American culture into Jewish traditions and holidays.
Why do Jews give gifts on Hanukkah?
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January 9th, 2010 at 7:06 am
chanukah is an extremely minor jewish holiday. traditionally money (chanukah gelt) was given. it started changing to gifts due to christmas happening at the same time. gift-giving is historically a part of other jewish holidays like purim, but christmas doesn’t happen anywhere near purim, and jewish holidays never focus around presents. and traditionally on purim too, the gifts are of food (ie candy baskets), not of toys.
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January 9th, 2010 at 7:17 am
It’s because moms were tired of their children saying to them "How come Jimmy the goy gets presents and I don’t?"
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January 9th, 2010 at 7:52 am
It’s more of incorporating American culture into Jewish traditions and holidays.
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January 9th, 2010 at 8:41 am
Because it has evolved into a tradition much the same as Christmas.
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January 9th, 2010 at 9:22 am
Hanukkah gift giving tradition has evolved out of the gelt giving tradition of the Jews. In the past times, children were given gelt (money given as reward) while their knowledge on Hanukkah was tested. They were asked about the story of Hanukkah and other things associated with it. If, they answered the questions correctly, they received gelt
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