How to

Throw a Hanukkah Party

Whether you are celebrating the first night of Hanukkah or simply having a cocktail get-together with friends on the third night, the Festival of Lights is time for celebration. Dust off your dreidels, break out the menorahs and stock up on gelt for a fun-filled evening.

The Happy Host

There are a few basic must-haves for any Hanukkah celebration, no matter how big or small. Whether you’re using an heirloom Menorah or improvising with an arrangement of candlesticks, make sure you have plenty of candles on hand to carry you through all eight nights. You can also create an instant centerpiece by placing a tray out with plenty of gelt and a few dreidels to keep things feeling festive.

The Menu

Latkes, donuts, brisket – oh my! There are so many delicious ways to celebrate the festival of lights, and we’re here to say that serving your holiday favorites doesn’t have to be stressful. Latkes and brisket reheat easily so you can make a big batch ahead of time and serve as needed.  Just transfer them to a stylish serving platter and set them out for your guests to enjoy.

Dazzle with Decorations

Decorations help set the spirit of the season, especially for little ones. You can stick to the traditional blue and white color palette or add extra sparkle and shine with metallic. Carry the colors scheme throughout the home with napkins and party plates to add some subtle touches, and plenty of twinkling string lights.

Keep the Kids Busy

Break away from the traditional kids table and set up a fully-fledged kids’ corner to keep the little ones busy. Have a few dreidels on hand so that the kids can play. Print out or purchase Hanukkah coloring pages and set out some crayons. If you’ve set aside a corner that you’re not worried about getting too messy, provide the kids with some pipe cleaners or popsicle sticks so that they can assemble their own Star of David.