Meaningful & Tasteful Hanukkah Gift Ideas

I hope you enjoy these Hanukkah gift ideas, perfect for your Jewish loved ones! If you want more ideas, you can check out our age-by-age gift guides, such as this list of good birthday gifts for an eleven year old. This post contains affiliate links and gifted product.

If you’re looking for something cool to buy a loved one for Hanukkah, you’re in the right place. As an observant Jew who has been celebrating Hanukkah since I was born, I am happy to share some of my favorite gift ideas for one of my favorite holidays.

I originally wrote this in 2015 but it was fully and completely revamped to be relevant in 2024 and onward!

Just a note: this gift is focused on what can be purchased for others for Hanukkah. If you’re a parent looking for a child, you may prefer to focus more on an age-by-age guide. I do also share a post on eight nights of Hanukkah gifts, focused on reasonable gift-giving for kids.

What makes the best Hanukkah gift ideas?

My goal with this post was to guide those who may not be familiar with best practices for Hanukkah gift-giving, may be wanting to give something culturally sensitive to those who observe, and to share ideas for what makes great Hanukkah gift ideas.

Hanukkah is no different from any other holiday or event in that you can slap out any gift that the person will love (such as something from here for your Elmo fan) – it doesn’t need to be related to Hanukkah specifically. 

Whether you are giving a family gift, or you are attending a Hanukkah event, there are some beautiful options that can be enjoyed year-round. If you are a guest or not, gifting something that fits with the Jewish lifestyle and culture is especially meaningful – and that can be done without relating to Hanukkah specifically.

In fact, the family you are visiting may already have too many Menorahs, and may not necessarily go for Hanukkah decor that only gets pulled out once a year… for that reason, I’m focusing primarily on year-round items (with a few exceptions) that fit with the lifestyle.

Important to avoid when Hanukkah gift giving is things that “borrow” from Christmas. While not offensive to everyone, many Jewish families are sensitive to this, as people approach Hanukkah as the Jewish Christmas, yet it has its own unique story. In fact, the story of Hanukkah is about saving Jewish identity. So unless you know your recipient specifically loves it, avoid Hanukkah gnomes and ornaments, blue and white tinsel “Hanukkah bushes”, and even Hanukkah “ugly sweaters”.

Hanukkah Gift Ideas to Buy

Here are some of my favorite Hanukkah gift ideas to shop around for this holiday season!

Hanukkah Household Gifts

Household items not only make for fabulous hostess gift, but they fit right into Jewish culture. Any traditional or observant Jew will spend weekends and holidays at home quite frequently, and so we have this once-a-week moment when we are homebodies.

And since many of us cook and host frequently (in fact, in our home, we cook Thanksgiving-level feasts almost every week), anything hosting related, cuisine, or home-focused make for fabulous Hanukkah gift ideas.

Rockflowerpaper Cuddle Throw

There’s nothing like a good throw blanket to bring warmth into the home during the long, cold winter, and Rockflowerpaper’s cuddle throw is about as warm and cozy as they get! And yes, it’s still so classy! Plus, a good throw blanket is something that the entire family enjoys – the kids for the cozy factor, the grown-ups for the decor factor (kay, and the cozy factor too.)

When it first arrived, Y’s reaction was “this is EPICALLY COZY!” Y, for reference, is an eight year old boy, not your average home-decor enthusiast demographic. But we know that nothing brings the home into a house quite like cozy throws, and this one is light and fluffy. It ties our living room together in a beautiful way.

Obviously, gift it to someone whose home decor you’re familiar with, and choose a color scheme that matches. And while gifting decor can be risky, throw blankets are the exception: they can always use it to add extra cozy to the bedroom if they prefer it there!

This is the kind of Hanukkah gift idea that can be gifted to party hosts, family, and even to the kids for one of the eight nights!

Sabavi Manual K-Cup Brewer

The Sabavi Manual K-Cup brewer is a brilliant little device that allows you to brew k-cups on the go! Simply place a cup on the bottom tray, add a k-cup, and place the water chute on top. It pierces the capsule. Add hot water into the chute (it even has measurements on it in case you’re pouring directly from the kettle) and use the airtight pusher to push the water through the cup.

That whole shebang you see in the photo separates into two and is really easy to take along. It stores three k-cups in the lid.

It’s perfect for any coffee snob who is on-the-go a lot but it has another hidden culturally-appropriate feature. Many Sabbath observant people will not use electric brewers but will use this on Shabbat. And even those who may not, but keep Kosher, will appreciate having their own dedicated coffee “appliance” to avoid questions that may arise while traveling.

Whether the recipient is observant or not, the Sabavi Manual K-Cup brewer does a fabulous job with brewing coffee, and is perfect for anyone who loves a good cuppa.

Great Jones The Dutchess Dutch Oven

An enameled cast iron Dutch oven is a must-have for any discerning host, and this Dutchess by Great Jones is so gorgeous, it makes the perfect gift. Its matte finish with the bronze handle on the lid make for a modern but warm decor piece that I personally love storing on open shelving.

But here’s another reason it’s one of my favorite Hanukkah gift ideas: a traditional Shabbat food is cholent, an overnight stew that is often left on a hot plate over Shabbat to cook slowly. Since we don’t cook on Shabbat itself, this allows us to have hot food. And while we often use a slow cooker for this, nothing makes a cholent quite as delicious as an enameled Dutch Oven.

Another reason I love this as a culturally-aware Hanukkah gift is that it is perfect for making sourdough Challah! With the growing trend of sourdough bread, many Jewish families evolved the tradition of having Challah bread on Shabbat and incorporate sourdough instead.

Whether it’s for making cholent, sourdough challah, or just for the many-times-a-year hosting we do, the Dutchess is the perfect size – and looks so gorgeous too.

Umbra Bellwood 3-Tier Spice Shelf

Did I mention that as a Jewish Mother I cook a lot? And nothing quite spices up my cooking like… my way-too-big collection of spices. The Umbra Bellwood 3-tier spice shelf is another home decor item that can fit into many different homes and is perfect for the family that hosts a lot.

It’s expandable and can fit quite the selection of spices or condiments.

It can be used for cosmetics too, and at an affordable price point, it’s the perfect gift to hand out! So if, for example, you’re looking for something to gift all the aunts, or your three sisters-in-law, it’s the perfect option.

Umbra Tipsy Balancing Bottle Opener

A good bar piece is always a fabulous gift for someone who likes to host, and this one is a piece of art!

It’s modeled after those novelty balancing birds that we played with as kids, making it nostalgic. It comes with a cone-shaped base and the bird-shaped opener balances on it by its beak.

The Tipsy bottle opener is a gorgeous balance of playful conversation starter and modern decor. It’s solid and heavy, and made from polished chrome. It’s the perfect Hanukkah gift for hosts who always pop out the bottles when they have a crowd over – and appreciate good design.

Dixie Belle Paint Starter Kits

For the DIY-minded homebodies, Dixie Belle’s starter kits are fabulous gifts! So if you’re looking for something for that person who is always improving their home, making decor, and doing things on their own, their kits are spot on.

Terra focuses on all-in-one furniture refinishing. It’s a 3-part process, with a cleaning medium, a clay paint, and a matte-finish sealer. It comes with a brush too. It’s perfect for modern muted finishes with some mature color.

Dixie Belle’s Patina kits are fabulous for the home-DIYer who loves things more rustic or shabby-chic. It’s a two-part kit that includes a paint and a spray activator. And of course, it also comes with a brush.

HotMat Connect Food Warmer

Many Sabbath-observant use what we call a “hotplate” or “plata” – a flat buffet food warmer that keeps the food warm from Friday afternoon until the Friday night dinner. It’s often used to warm up Saturday lunch as well.

Since hotplates can be quite bulky, I love HotMat’s modular system! You can connect multiple 2-part sets to make it larger as needed, and it folds in half, making it much less bulky to setup and store.

I use these for everyday hosting as well – it’ll keep soup piping hot for hours, without boiling and overcooking it.

Hanukkah Gift Ideas for Families with Kids

If you’re looking to gift something special to a family with kids, there are so many cool ideas out there for every budget. These are just a few favorites.

Nex Playground Active Gaming System

Nex Playground is the game system that addresses pretty much all of my screen time pain points and it’s been an incredible gift to have. It gets us moving – all of us, it enables my kids to have privacy and safety while playing, and there are no ads or in-app purchases.

Nex is a small console with a camera that sits in front of a TV screen and tracks your motions. It comes with five amazing games pre-installed (read: fully included) and you can get a pretty inexpensive all-access subscription that offers an incredible amount of value.

It’s a game that is spot on for an observant Jewish lifestyle (while some more strictly religious families may want to deactivate one of the apps, that is very easy for an adult to do).

I love it so much that I knew I couldn’t do it justice here and gave Nex Playground its own review – so read that in full if you’re considering getting it but are unsure!

Kinetic Sand, SquishMotion Playset

Kinetic Sand (that is clean, indoor play sand that’s moldable) is a favorite indoor unplugged activity – but there’s nothing quite like this set.

The SquishMotion play set is a compact, travel-friendly set that comes in an all-inclusive carry case complete with three colors of sand and tools. At the center is a foam pad that animates the sand! When you press down on it, it then self-heals, spreading the sand.

The tools are designed for this, creating cool animations from double-layers of sand. For example, a shark will open its mouth. A flower will bloom…

Tummple Wooden Block Stacking Tower Game

For one night of Hanukkah, I like to give a game to the family and then follow it up with a game night. In fact, games are one of the most cost-effective, wholesome whole-family gifts that are truly appreciated. Observant families spend long Saturdays and holidays unplugged, and even less traditional Jewish families tend to be culturally family-minded, making games a fabulous choice.

Tummple is a really cool high-quality family game that is really good for a huge range of ages. It also has a very strong STEM angle to it.

Spin a die to determine if you’re placing a plank, which side you’re placing it on. Other options are yellow and white Tumps that “deactivate” either an entire plank, or just that area of the plank. If planks fall during your play, you keep them. The goal is to have “earned” as few planks as possible at the end of the game.

It was really quick and easy to learn, without long-winded, complicated rules. We all enjoyed it, even game-averse parents, and young kid.

Clixo Mars Rover – Travel-Friendly Magnetic Building Toys

Jewish homes are always looking for more screen-free play, and magnetic toys are always a win, but nothing is quite as unique as Clixo.

These building toys are made of flexible plastic 2D pieces with magnets at the corners, that are used to create fully playable 3D creations. These features mean that it can store really compact and is travel-friendly, but can still be used to create incredible creations. And they click together and can be played in hand, bringing some of the features that kids love from building bricks to magnet toy play.

The Mars Rover pack features glow-in the dark components for an added twist. It’s got wheels and more cool add-ons to build incredible space exploration vehicles. The axels are modular and versatile and the wheels ride incredibly smoothly. And the pieces are dishwasher safe making them a win for Passover cleanup!

Clixo’s innovation allows for more building possibilities with fewer pieces needed – and that’s always a win!

Judaic & Seasonally-Appropriate Hanukkah Gifts

While Hanukkah gifts don’t have to be Hanukkah items, it can be nice sometimes to gift something that’s made for the season! Here are some ideas that are either explicitly Judaic in nature, or just good for December gifting.

Hineni Necklace

Hineini is a uniquely Jewish biblical phrase that literally means “I am here”. It’s about announcing and asserting that you are present, whether it’s in a spiritual sense, or a family and communal sense.

The Hineni necklace is “Jewish values on a chain”. It’s a gorgeous, delicate piece that not only makes for a meaningful piece of jewelry, but it serves as a daily reminder. It says the word “Hineni” in Hebrew in a style that is popular for name necklaces.

If you’re looking for Hanukkah gift ideas that are meaningful and will leave a mark, the Hineni necklace is a fabulous choice. Hineni also makes name necklaces in the same style, so if you know how to spell the name of your recipient, that is also a fabulous choice!

Anecdote – The Daily Planner

Basically everyone needs a new planner at this time of year and I’m falling in love with Anecdote’s daily option!

This undated planner features dated year-at-a-glance pages to allow for easy dating of the internal pages. It’s got gorgeous cream pages, focused on workflow and task management. The linen-like cover is unisex, feels high end, and comes in various colors.

I’m very much a paper planner girl, and I think that Anecdote offers the unique gift of a clean slate for the new year.

Painting4Real Hanukkah Dinosaur Painting Kit

If you’re looking for something that’s just for fun and tacky – in a good way – Hanukkah, this dinosaur painting kit from Painting4Real is just that! It’s got a dinosaur lighting the menorah, and is quite true to Hanukkah.

And it’s not just a “fill in the blanks” kit – it’s an art lesson in a box! The video lesson will teach the art concepts needed to mix, blend, and layer to get the beautiful highlights and effects in the painting.

The outline is traced using carbon paper, and then painting with the step-by-step video. You can make your own modifications to the design – which is NOT preprinted like you’d find on a paint-by-number – making it fabulous for aspiring artists who like to make it their own!

Artsy Star of David Hoodie

Show a little Jewish pride! While most Star of David apparel can be a bit blah, I am on a mission to change that with this new line of Star of David merch featuring artsy stars. I have a few designs on Amazon, and you can get totes, pop sockets, tumblers, and more. But a favorite for Hanukkah is hoodies – just because it’s so cozy and warm!

For Babies & Toddlers: Indestructibles Hanukkah Baby Book

There’s nothing like a good book to bring the holiday spirit and Hanukkah Baby from Indestructibles is perfect for the littlest family member!

Indestructibles books are washable (waterproof), tear-proof books that baby can chew, crumple, and pull apart and it’ll still survive. The illustrations are bright and bold, featuring simple shapes.

Hanukkah Baby is the perfect way to introduce Hanukkah-specific words to baby and will be loved and cherished.

Dreidel Rolette

Play this unique twist on the popular dreidel game – a super fun Hanukkah gag gift that has quality and class too. The goal is to knock the little balls into the holes by spinning the dreidel and score points.

Hanukkah Mad Libs

Another fun gift, this one is perfect for when you just need something small that you can gift, and want it to be Hanukkah themed. This Hanukkah-centered Mad Libs game costs just a few bucks, so you can gift it to multiple people on a budget. It’s a funny, literary Hanukkah activity, with 21 fill-in-the blank stories.

Hanukkah Gifts to DIY

When I first wrote this post, I made it about half “buy” and half “DIY”. As it became super popular and I saw that most people were coming to it to find gifts they can buy easily, I realized I needed to update it and focus more on that.

However, I did not want to remove the DIY ideas! So I figured out which I still felt were fabulous, added some new Hanukkah gift ideas to DIY and here you have it!

Menorahs and other fun Hanukkah stuff

• This simple and modern DIY menorah by Simply Designing is beautiful to display. (to make it kosher, elevate or lower one of the candles.)
• A felt menorah is a fun option for toddlers to “light” . You can craft it yourself using felt.
• Craft dreidels from clay to gift and to spin!
• Hanukkah magnets by Creative Jewish Mom are a super-sweet kid-made option.
• Assemble a DIY Hanukkah coloring book by printing some of my Hanukkah color & craft craft projects from my Etsy shop.
• Make some DIY wooden beaded star of David decor – or use the same pattern to make a star of David pendant!

Food Hanukkah Gift Ideas

• Hanukkah stained glass cookies by Living Sweet Moments are so beautiful, you might not want to eat them. Just kidding – you will!
• Assemble a lolly Menorah using this candle lolly cover template!
• Or go for any of these other Hanukkah themed lolly treats!
• Print these paper dreidel party favors (that can actually spin when empty) and fill them with Hanukkah treats like chocolate coins.

Fun ways to gift gelt

• Fold a dollar bill (or a 10 or a 20) into a dollar bill Star of David!
• Make crocheted gelt bags for Chanukah by Creative Jewish Mom. They can be upgraded to trinket bags or even coin purses afterward.
• A Chanukah wall hanging craft by Busy in Brooklyn includes a gelt treat for every day of Hanukkah!
• A Hanukkah gelt tree by Yesterday on Tuesday does the same. Now the kids will have a good comeback when Daddy tells them “money doesn’t grow on trees…”
• Hanukkah Gift Envelopes by Organized 31 are super sweet and  super personalized. They are perfect for slipping in a Ben (or an Abe if you’re tight.)

Got any other Hanukkah gift ideas? Comment below – I’d love to hear!