1. Skip the gifts. Share the gelt.
Contrary to popular belief, Chanukah is not a holiday of gift-giving, which can be a great thing for your wallet. Instead, Chanukah tradition is to give money, in Yiddish gelt, to our children. Yes, we all love the chocolate gelt coins traditionally eaten on Chanukah, but the ones we love the most are minted coins.
Give gelt (money) to children every night of Chanukah but there’s no minimum requirement of how much you give them. You can save a pretty penny on other types of presents (which might end up unused) and also keep tradition.
2. Teach a financial lesson.
The amount of money you give is not as important as what you do with it. After we give our children gelt, we immediately help them separate a minimum of 10% and designate it for tzedakah. Not only do we sharpen their math skills but their awareness that money is given to us so that we can help others. Kids love sharing the causes that they find meaningful and want to feel a part of choosing where their charitable dollars go.
Beyond that, encourage your children to make mindful financial choices by asking what they might want to save their Chanukah money for.
3. Ditch the five-course meal!
Since everyone, and especially women, are required to relax by the light of the Chanukah candles, there is no need to pull off a multi-course meal.
Keep it simple and stick to any of the traditional Chanukah food: doughnuts, latkes (potato pancakes) or dairy foods. The good news is that both latkes and doughnuts—with the core ingredients being oil, flour, water and potatoes—are inexpensive to make.
Inviting friends and family over to light the candles together and to enjoy doughnuts and/or latkes, and a good old-fashioned game of dreidel (spinning top), is all you need. Dairy is also a traditional food during the holiday. You can also slice up some cheese and fruit, and if your guests offer to bring something, ask them to bring the kosher wine.
(Pro-Tip: Fry Rhodes dinner rolls in oil and inject your favorite filling for the best and easiest Chanukah doughnuts you’ll ever make. A bag of Rhodes dough yields 36 donuts for less than $5.)
4. Plan your evenings.
Chanukah doesn’t need to become a drawn-out, expensive and exhausting eight-day party. Planning ahead—and not just in terms of how much money you will give your kids over the course of Chanukah—but what you will do each night can save you a lot of money. Trying to figure out “What should we do right now?” can easily lead to overspending.
Skip the spontaneity. Plan some nights as quiet evenings to do Chanukah crafts at home and on other nights join community events around town, like public menorah-lightings or car-menorah parades, which can be free and fun for the whole family as they participate in the Chanukah custom to “publicize the miracle.”
5. Focus on the light.
Chanukah is the holiday of light. The obligation is to light an eight-branched candelabra (menorah or chanukiah) in an area that is publicly seen. While the candelabra has some requirements in terms of shape, it doesn’t need to be expensive or ornate.
Beautifying a mitzvah is our way of expressing our appreciation to G‑d, and how dearly we hold His commandments. So if you have the means, try to buy the most beautiful menorah, but this is not a requirement.
It’s preferable for every member of the family to have their own Chanukah menorah, but with creative thinking you can create the menorah out of simple materials. In fact, your children might make really creative and simple ones in school and bring them home.
And to make light? Not much is needed! Olive oil (from your pantry) and cotton wicks is the ideal fuel—or alternatively, a box of beeswax candles—and some matches are all very affordable.
Don’t let inflation deflate your Chanukah spirit. Stick to tradition and the essence of what the holiday is all about, and save your gelt.
By Yael Trusch chabad.org
