The Lonely Blue Hanukkah Box

Author’s Note: As I sat down to compose an article about Hanukkah this year, I wanted to write something different. Inspired by the words of my oldest granddaughter who once asked me “how can we make Hanukkah special,” I had an idea for a story.

With the smells of turkey, latkes and freshly baked pumpkin and apple pies wafting through their house, Molly and Gracie begin unpacking the ornaments for the upcoming holidays. This has become a family tradition on Thanksgiving.

Mom is Jewish. Dad is Catholic. They celebrate holidays of both religions, especially during Christmas when they have a lighted menorah and dreidels on a table alongside the decorated tree.

Among the many boxes marked “Christmas” sits a single, very worn-looking box, sporting a faded blue ribbon marked “Hanukkah.”

Gracie, the younger sister, asked, “Why are there several boxes labeled Christmas while only a single box is marked Hanukkah?”

“Poor lonely blue Hanukkah box!”

Then with a somewhat puzzled look on her face, Gracie continued: “Isn’t Hanukkah like the Jewish Christmas?”
“No,” said her oldest sister, Molly. “While Hanukkah and Christmas sometimes occur at the same time, they are very different holidays.”

“For Christians, Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Hanukkah celebrates a victory over a group of very bad people who fought their Jewish neighbors and damaged their sacred Temple. When the victorious Jewish fighters were attempting to light their large menorah, which was damaged, they found they only had enough oil to keep it lit for just one day.

Miraculously, the oil kept the menorah lit for eight days. That’s why we celebrate Hanukkah for eight days.”

“But that happened a very long time ago,” said Gracie. “How can we make Hanukkah just as special as the other holidays?”

“Maybe we can,” said Molly as she reached for her tablet to start writing. “Hanukkah is the festival of lights. Maybe each candle we light for eight days can serve to brighten up someone’s life!”

“Let’s talk to mom and dad. I have an idea!”

So, Molly and Gracie huddled with mom and dad. They shared their plans on how each candle could brighten up someone’s life. Somewhat surprised, but very pleased by their daughters’ plans, mom and dad said, “Yes, what a wonderful idea!”

Molly and Gracie then went to work.

For the first night of Hanukkah, the girls agreed to brighten up the life of someone who is lonely. With mom’s help, they cooked up a batch of potato latkes to take to Mrs. Rubin who lives alone down the street. She enjoyed the latkes so much, she gave each girl a large dreidel filled with chocolate candies.

For the second night, Gracie suggested,” Why don’t we brighten up the life for someone who does not have enough food to eat?” So, Molly and Gracie collected food items from their friends and neighbors and visited the local food pantry.

As the family was walking into a grocery store, Molly saw a poster. There was a local church having a clothing drive, collecting coats, sweaters and other items to help keep children warm throughout the winter. “What a great idea for the third night of brightening up a child’s life,” said Gracie.

The girls went through their closets and gave up warm clothing that no longer fit or they don’t wear anymore.

“It makes me feel good to know,” said Molly, “that some other little girl will enjoy my winter coat from last year which is too small for me.”

Now other family members were offering suggestions.

Aunt Jean, upon learning of the girls’ mission to make Hanukkah special suggested that the girls brighten up the lives of people living at a local senior care center. “These folks always appreciate when the children visit.”

For candle number four, Molly and Gracie teamed up with several of their classmates, baked cookies, and sang songs at a local center.

“Whew!” said Gracie. “Four nights down and four more candles to go to light up someone’s life. But I think we need to use the fifth candle to brighten up the lives of mom and dad. They do so much for us. We need to do more for them.”

So, the girls both agreed to perform chores they often avoided. They promised to keep their bedrooms neat and clean and to always put away their stuff.

All the grandparents were gathering to celebrate both holidays together. Both Molly and Gracie thought it would be a good idea to brighten up their grandparents’ lives with the sixth candle.

“Let’s give each set of grandparents a special memory box,” said Molly. “We can fill it with photos, ticket stubs from the dance recitals, programs from the school plays, and other stuff to keep our childhood memories alive. And we can add to it every year!”

All the grandparents were touched by their thoughtfulness--both grandmothers cried.

The seventh candle would brighten the lives of the doggies and kitties at the local animal shelter. With help from mom and dad, the girls donated some of their gift money to help feed and care for these animals.

As the girls were thinking about the eighth and final candle, mom and dad chimed in: “You brightened up the life of a neighbor who lives alone. You brought food and warm clothing to children and families in need. You lit and warmed the hearts of the people living at the senior care center. You are doing more chores around the house. Your grandparents can’t stop raving about your memory boxes! And of course, doggies and kitties always light up everyone’s lives!”

“So, children, the eighth candle celebrates the light and joy that you both bring to our lives. Tonight, we light the final candle to thank you for caring about others during the holiday season.”

As the holidays came to an end, the girls began to pack the menorahs, candles, dreidels, and other decorations into a new Hanukkah box, wrapped with a new blue ribbon. But they packed something else. Placed in the box were notes and letters about how each candle gave a new meaning to the festival of lights. Packed were memories of how each candle lit up the lives of other people.

The blue Hanukkah box would be lonely no more.

Scott Selkowitz is a Writer, Communications Chair and Board Member of Congregation Beth Yam, Hilton Head Island, communications@bethyam.org