With winter holidays fast approaching, the overshadowing of Hanukkah is imminent.
Christmas is one of the most popular religious events in the United States according to a 2023 survey by Statista. The survey shows that 78% of Americans picked Christmas while only 58% chose Hanukkah, although both holidays are celebrated in December.
Jewish studio arts senior Tali Koransky said she felt discouraged as a child because she believed that decorations and holiday movies were always centered around Christmas.
“Hanukkah was always the side dish for Christmas, the main course,” Koransky said. “However it also made me proud to be who I was.”
Hanukkah, which translates to “dedication,” is an eight-day celebration to commemorate the devotion of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem according to an article by My Jewish Learning, a website dedicated towards Judaism and Jewish learning.
“A lot of people think that because Hanukkah happens around Christmas, that it is an extremely important holiday to Jewish people,” Koransky said. “However, there are other Jewish holidays that hold a lot more significance than Hanukkah.”
Koransky said major holidays in Judaism include Yom Kippur (the day of atonement) and Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year).
“I wish these holidays were talked about more, so others could learn how to better respect and appreciate how we celebrate,” she said.
Yom Kippur is a 25-hour fasting period meant to atone for any sins and reconcile with God. Rosh Hashanah celebrates the birth of the universe and is accounted as an important celebration in Judaism according to the Jew FAQ site.
Koransky said Jewish Americans are often told to participate in activities that don’t resonate with them.
“I remember being forced to sing Christmas carols with a scratchy green and red paper bow around my neck and just wishing there was a menorah in the classroom at least,” she said.
According to My Jewish Learning, a Hanukkah menorah is a nine-branched candelabrum used during Hanukkah. An oil candle is lit for eight nights straight and the ninth branch is called the “Shamash” used to light up the candles.
“I’m glad these celebrations haven’t become as commercialized as Christmas,” Koransky said. “I can only imagine what it would be like to go to Target and buy a pop-up sukkah for Sukkot.”
A sukkah is a booth used during Sukkot, a week-long celebration in Jewish culture according to My Jewish Learning.
Corporations such as Disney and Target have recently begun to market Hanukkah decorations and merchandise within the last five years, according to a 2018 Washington Post article.
Jewish spatial arts graduate student Sam Crookston said Jewish holidays are less represented in America and aren’t secular enough.“I don’t see a lot of representation of Hanukkah in the media.”
According to the General Social Survey (GSS), about 70% of Americans in the U.S. identify as Christian/Catholic and about 2.4% of Americans in the U.S. identify themselves as Jewish.
About 93% of Christian/Catholic Americans celebrate Christmas and most Jewish Americans celebrate Hanukkah according to the same survey.
Catholic social work graduate student Victoria Mendez said she celebrates Christmas because it’s a tradition that runs in her family.
“I like seeing all the holiday decor because I like this time of year,” Mendez said. “It just reminds me of getting to spend time with my family. I definitely notice more Christmas decor because even when they’re first putting up Halloween decorations for sale, they’re already putting up Christmas stuff as well. I don’t know why this is the case.”
Mendez said she celebrates “Nochebuena” and goes to church on Christmas day. “We also give presents but that’s because it’s part of the tradition from American culture.”
Nochebuena, which translates to “good night,” is a Mexican tradition that most Christian/Catholic families celebrate on Christmas Eve according to a 2020 Oprah Daily article.
Tali Koransky said her family began to celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas when her father remarried. Instead of giving gifts during Hanukkah, they chose to wait until Christmas.
“Although sometimes I feel weird about celebrating Christmas, I do enjoy the calmness that comes with lighting the candles, not worrying about who got what and all that. I still don’t enjoy shopping for a Christmas tree though,” she said.
Koransky said the decorative trees look the same to her which is why she doesn’t enjoy the stress of Christmas shopping.
“I don’t think it’s super important that Hanukkah is represented,” Koransky said. “A lot of people don’t realize that Hanukkah is more for Jewish kids, so we don’t feel left out when we see our friends getting Christmas presents. Like I mentioned, there are other holidays that are much, much more important that people don’t even know the names of.”
