Why Is Hanukkah Sometimes Thought of as a Jewish Christmas?
Hanukkah has become erroneously associated with Christmas for a few reasons. The number one reason is that Hanukkah takes place at roughly the same time of year as Christmas. A second reason is that the custom of Christmas gift giving has also influenced Hanukkah tradition in some cases. document.getElementById(‘adsense_placeholder_2’).innerHTML = document.getElementById(‘adsense_ad_2_hidden’).innerHTML; Some Jews have adopted gift giving into Hanukkah celebrations, though gift giving per se is not typically associated with Hanukkah. What Is Hanukkah Really About? Hanukkah celebrates the victory of the Jews over their enemies, but this is only part of the story. In other words, the significance of the Hanukkah holiday is deeper than a mere victory celebration. During the rule of the Greco-Syrian king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who controlled Judea (present-day Israel) and other lands, the Jews were heavily persecuted. Jews were not allowed to practice their religion, and they were forced
