Does Hanukkah have eight days of presents?

Like other Winter Holidays, Hanukkah is known as a time when some people give and receive presents. But since Hanukkah has eight days, does that mean the presents last for over a week??

Just as with all traditions, every family has their own special way of celebrating Hanukkah. While some families might open lots of big presents throughout the holiday, others might just have one or two nice things and then some smaller presents. Other families might not exchange any presents at all on Hanukkah!

Originally, the only gifts given on Hanukkah (if any!) were gelt, small coins that were meant as symbols of freedom. But because it falls near other gift-giving holidays like Christmas, in many places Hanukkah celebrations have come to include a bigger focus on presents as part of the cultural tradition of exchanging gifts during the holiday season.

Presents or not, it's also important to remember that the most important part of any of the winter holidays is not the gifts, but the time you spend celebrating and observing the holiday with your loved ones!

by Mya Kagan (Whyzz writer)