Festivismukkah!

Both brilliant…and demoralizing. I’ll let you figure out which reaction applies to which statistic.

wait, NO presents in Israel? that does not sound right. Also, please to include a statistic measuring how many Chanukah songs sound like horrible dirges v. Christmas songs that are same (answer: one, that scary “hark how the bells” song).

I’m an Israeli – the statistic about no presents in Israel is completely wrong – the toy stores go out of their way to entice the public – and succeed big time – into buying gifts for kids. What I do is give my grandchildren the money and tell them to tell mommy to take them to the store and pick out a gift.

“The Israelis do not celebrate Hanukkah as a gift-giving holiday. American Jews do.”

This does NOT mean that Israelis give ZERO presents over Hannukah. It just means that the holiday is not gift-centric. Kids do usually get a gift or two. But not huge and expensive, no ‘gift for each night’ and adults don’t exchange gifts. And plenty of money is spent entertaining the kids over Hannukah break, believe you me.

hey, zelda and allison — i based my comment on the economist’s observation (see the footnote) that there isn’t an economic spike in israel in december. but hey, with increasingly aggressive marketing by consumer businesses, who knows — israel may yet achieve the crazed December-stimulus-producing iffy-values glory we americans have achieved. we can dream.

Chanukah is more commercial here in Israel than in the past. Going to children’s shows, handicraft events (like in Tel Shiloh) are also popular as gifts.

Great job on this site. I like comming here to read your articles. Keep up the good work!