School of Thought

By Etti Siegel

Q: Dear Etti, My kids are upset, and it is a yearly occurrence. Everyone in school is talking about their Chanukah parties and their Chanukah

vacation plans, and due to the fact that we live far from family, we don’t have Chanukah parties or vacation plans. To be honest, they are not the only ones miserable about the situation. I also get down this time of year, but I try not to show it. -Party-less on Chanukah

A: Dear Party-less on Chanukah, I know it feels like you are the only ones in this situation – I know as a fact that you aren’t! There are quite a number of families all home feeling the same way! A few people I know make a block, neighbors, or friends Chanukah party. They don’t wait to be invited; they initiate the fun.

But you don’t need to look outside your home for Chanukah fun! Sit down with your children and fill up your calendar with activities. This is a chance for your older children to take charge, and once they finish rolling their eyes (a teenager’s response in many cases), they will enjoy the power. There are so many ways your younger children can shine as well. School nights need an hour or so of scheduled fun; vacation days need more. Put on Chanukah music. There is so much research on music and how it makes people happy. This is a great time to infuse the atmosphere in your home with Chanukah music. Watch music change the mood! Decorate the house. Let the children make signs and hang them all over the house. They can draw their own or color in pages from magazines or coloring books. Play dreidel. You can use pennies, chocolate coins, chocolate chips, and even nuts can be fun! The game is in the spinning and the surprise of what it lands on each time.

Bake cookies. Chanukah shapes are fun, but so is just the fun of baking cookies! Decorating cookies are even more fun, so put out lots of edibles and watch the kids create!

Make latkes.

Play homemade Chanukah games and party

games. Www.kosher.com has easy and fun Chanukah games you can play, guaranteeing a lot of laughs with very little preparation. There is a free downloadable matching game you can print and play as well. You can also play “Pin the Candle on the Menorah” if you have an artist in the house who can draw a menorah. Then all you need are a blindfold, strips of colored paper, and tape. Spin the blindfolded child around, then have them try to tape the candle to the menorah. So much fun!

Perform skits. They can be Chanukah-related, as they act out scenes from the Chanukah story, or they can be family parodies. The point is to have family bonding time, not Broadway shows.

Invite a couple that also lives far from fam-

ily. There are so many couples with or without family, young and old, who are alone for Chanukah. They would appreciate an invite!

Invite a family with kids your kids’ ages, even if they have other Chanukah parties. Pick a night they aren’t busy and have supper and play games with them.

Here are pictures from a family I know throwing a fun party for neighbors. The 3rd and 4th graders ran the event under their mother’s direction and fun was had by all!

Accept your situation and turn it into a plus! Have fun!

Happy Chanukah, -Etti

Mrs. Etti Siegel holds an MS in Teaching and Learning/Educational Leadership and brings sound teaching advice to her audiences culled from her over 35 years of teaching and administrative experience. She is an Adjunct at the College of Mount Saint Vincent/Sara Shenirer. She is a coach and educational consultant for Catapult Learning, is a sought-after mentor and workshop presenter around the country, and a popular presenter for Sayan (a teacher-mentoring program), Hidden Sparks, and the Consortium of Jewish Day Schools. She is a frequent contributor to Hamechanech Magazine and The Journal for Jewish Day School leaders. She will be answering your education-based questions and writing articles weekly for The Jewish Home. Mrs. Siegel can be reached at ettisiegel@gmail.com.