How to Host a Hanukkah Party: An Easy Guide
Lauren Miolene
Editor
Hanukkah, also known as the Jewish Festival of Lights, is one of the most important holidays for people of Jewish faith. From lighting the menorah for eight nights to stuffing our faces with latkes and kugel, it is definitely one of the best times of the year. If you’re hosting a Hanukkah party this year—we’re here to help.
Once you have decided on a guest list, date, time, and a way to spell Hanukkah (it can be tricky!) you have the basics to plan the perfect Hanukkah party. Don’t know where to start? Look no further than these Hanukkah party ideas.
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Step 1: Send Invitations
A crucial part of party planning is choosing a date, and luckily, you have eight to choose from! Whether you opt to go digital, mail them out, or just send a text, make sure you give guests ample time in advance. Stick with the traditional blue, white, and silver color scheme, sparkles, and stars to help start the Hanukkah festivities.
Invitations are also the perfect place to let guests know the formality of your celebration. When people are wondering what to wear to a Hanukkah party, a detailed invitation will let them know if the dress code is casual, dressy, or if they should break out their ugly Hanukkah sweater!
Step 2: Plan the Menu
Can we all agree that one of the most important parts of any type of party is the food?! Many of the traditional Hanukkah dishes are fried in oil, to commemorate the one day supply of oil that miraculously lasted for eight days.
Latkes
When you’re hosting a Hanukkah celebration, the star of the show is definitely latkes, or potato pancakes. When preparing the potato latkes, make sure to keep an eye on the pan since you’ll be frying them in a lot of oil. Latkes are best served hot, so you’ll probably want to heat them up while guests arrive.
One of the best parts about latkes is the ability to get creative with different toppings. Set up a latke bar so guests can dress their latkes in applesauce, sour cream, or even caviar if you’re feeling fancy.
If you’re watching your carb intake this year, try some healthier alternatives like sweet potato or carrot latkes. Another option is to serve the latkes with a salad or side of fresh vegetables to soak up some of the grease. Rather than frying the latkes, you can make them slightly healthier by baking or air frying them as a low-fat alternative.
Challah
This bread is a staple during the Jewish holidays, so it definitely needs to be featured on your table spread. Known for its braided design, slight sweet flavor, and golden crust, this is sure to be a hit amongst guests. If you have leftovers, you’ll be able to make delicious sandwiches, French toast, and other recipes.
Kugel
Depending on your dinner menu and preferences, kugel can be made sweet or savory. Some classic recipes are potato kugel, noodle kugel, Yerushalmi kugel, spinach or vegetable kugel, and fruit kugel. Get creative with your kugel dish this year and venture out to try a new variation, or a few!
Sufganiyot
The traditional dessert for Hanukkah is sufganiyot, or deep fried jelly donuts. These donuts can be filled with jam, custard, and topped with powdered sugar for a finishing touch. Another similar sweet option is Loukoumades which are deep fried puffs dipped in honey or syrup.
Rugelach
Whether you’re planning the menu or wondering what to bring to a Hanukkah party, dessert is always a good idea! Rugelach are crescent shaped pastries filled with chocolate, cinnamon, nuts, or fruit! Pick these up from your local bakery or whip them up for a Hanukkah party dessert idea.
Sugar Cookies
There are tons of iconic Hanukkah shapes that will be perfect for your holiday cookie spread. Bake up sugar cookies in the shape of dreidels, menorahs, the Star of David, and much more. This can also double as a fun Hanukkah party activity, especially if there are kiddos in attendance.
Menorah Mule
When planning your Hanukkah party ideas, you’ll want themed food and drinks as well as traditional options. Add a festive twist on a classic cocktail by combining vodka or gin with blue curaçao, fresh lime juice, and ginger beer with ice. Shake well and pour into a glass with a blue sugar rim, lime wedge, and fresh mint leaves for a delicious Hanukkah cocktail. For an alcohol free version, simply swap the hard liquor for sparkling water or ginger ale.
Dreidel Drop Martini
This vibrant and tangy cocktail is perfect for your Hanukkah party ideas. Add vodka, cranberry or blueberry juice, triple sec, and lemon juice into a shaker with ice. Pour into a martini glass rimmed with blue sugar and garnish with a lemon twist.
Step 3: Choose the Music and Entertainment
Turn on some holiday music like Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song and "I Had a Little Dreidel." If you would rather have live music for the evening, consider booking a string quartet, klezmer band, violinist, or accordion player to put you in the Old World mood.
For more Hanukkah song inspiration to play during your celebration, check out our Hanukkah playlist available on Spotify.
Photo Booth
You’ll want to capture all of the fun and Hanukkah celebration ideas, so book an interactive photo booth to make the memories last forever! Not only will this be a hub of entertainment, but it will also provide your guests with holiday keepsakes this year. Many photo booths offer physical photos or digital downloads which can be customized with Hanukkah themed borders and messages.
Step 4: Plan the Decorations
The traditional colors for the holiday are blue, white, and silver, so try to incorporate these shades into your Hanukkah decorations. What’s great about these colors is that they are also perfect for a beautiful winter theme, so you can keep most of these decorations up all season long.
Consider getting some colorful dreidels, funny sweaters, and of course, you can’t forget a beautiful menorah. To save time after the party, look into getting Hanukkah themed disposable plates, cups, and utensils. Not only are they fun and festive, but it saves you the stress of post-party cleanup.
Balloon Decor
Balloons make the perfect decorations for your Hanukkah party. Browse local balloon decorators on The Bash to fill your event space with blue and white balloons, garland, or Hanukkah inspired balloon art.
Lighting
To complement the glow of the menorah, you’ll wan’t ambient lighting for a cozy Hanukkah party atmosphere. Accent your space with blue and white lights to incorporate the traditional colors in your Hanukkah party ideas.
Step 5: Organize Games and Activities
No Hanukkah party is complete without a round or two of the dreidel game, but there are plenty of activities for guests of all ages to celebrate the festival of lights!
Dreidel
The best part about the dreidel game is that any number of people can play at once, but you may want to divide the crowd into two or three different groups so everyone has a better chance to win. You’ll also want to have pennies or a sweet treat like M&Ms on hand as a prize for the winners. If you need to brush up on the rules this year, you can find the instructions here.
Gelt Coin Toss
This easy DIY activity is perfect for your Hanukkah party because you probably already have all the materials. All you have to do is set up jars or bowls at different distances and guests will take turns flipping their chocolate coins into them. Whoever wins will earn the grand prize of your choosing!
Pin the Candle on the Menorah
This is a holiday twist on the party favorite, pin the tail on the donkey. Get a large picture of a menorah or craft one out of construction paper to display on an empty wall. Next, guests will take turns pinning a paper candle to the menorah in the proper place. Don’t forget to blindfold the player and spin them around!
Trivia
Guests of all ages will enjoy Hanukkah trivia to brush up on the history of the holiday. Come up with questions like “what type of cooking is tradition when preparing food for Hanukkah?” or “what is the name of the first candle on the menorah that’s used to light the other candles?” This will be a fun party activity as well as an interactive way to learn for the younger guests in attendance.
Step 6: Decide on Gifts
Hanukkah is a gift-giving occasion, but buying presents for each person can be difficult if you’re celebrating with a large group. Opt for a small goodie bag with a dreidel and chocolate gelt for everyone to bring home. You can also have guests bring a gift for more of a traditional ‘grab bag’ style gift swap.
Step 7: Light the Menorah
If your party falls during one of the eight nights of Hanukkah, set a timer for sundown and light the candle with all of your guests. Hanukkah candles should be lit from right to left, each one being lit by the shamash. Traditionally, a blessing is said during the lighting of each night. The menorah symbolizes the one-day supply of oil that miraculously lasted for eight days and nights, so this step is the most important, and what the entire holiday is centered around.
Step 8: Send Thank You Notes
Once the party is over, send guests a thank you note for attending, especially if they brought a dish or gift. This will be the finishing touch to this year’s Hanullah celebration.
Now you’re ready to host and have a Happy Hanukkah with your friends and family. If you’re celebrating virtually, download a Hanukkah Zoom background or phone home screen from one of these holiday Zoom backgrounds.
Find more inspiration for holiday parties from The Bash.
