Hanukkah starts on the evening of December 25 this year, aka Christmas Day, so it’s falling in prime holiday decor season.
I know that there are differing schools of thought about Hanukkah decor. Some think it’s a step too far into assimilation. Some are OK with decorating the inside of your house but feel reticent about putting something that makes their house look, well, so externally Jewish. Some (like Netflix “The Circle” star Deb Levy) just find pure joy in it.
I have a feeling that a lot of us feel the need to celebrate our Judaism in big and small ways this year, moreso than perhaps ever before. And Hanukkah decorations, made lovingly at home or purchased in a store, are one joyous way to do that.
I’ve whittled down the most exciting (and factually correct!) Hanukkah decor options for both outdoors and indoors for you to decorate your home with this season. Will these make your home feel Instagrammable and stylish? Absolutely not (except for a few!) but they will hopefully make you, your neighbors and your guests smile and fill you with much-needed Jewish joy.
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Unfortunately, unlike the oversaturated market of Christmas lawn inflatables, which includes suggestive gingerbread men and pants-less Santas, the world of Hanukkah inflatables is still a bit lacking. In my perusals of the online offerings, I found a lot of dreidels with the wrong letters and menorahs that were not Hanukkah menorahs at all — with seven branches instead of nine. A lot of them try to make up for their inaccuracies with blue and Jewish stars on everything. And even among the ones that somehow get the letters and menorahs right, quite a few look like a bit of an antisemitic caricature in animal form, which made me feel super uncomfortable (animals with sidecurls, beards and for some reason, top hats??). But in all those, there are some pretty adorable options.
Why is this bear wearing sunglasses? Is it because his eyes are sensitive to candlelight, or is it because he’s cooler than any lawn decor around? I’m going to choose to go with the latter. He’s got a kippah, a dreidel and a Jewish star-patterned print shirt, yet it’s somehow way more demure than all those other inflatable bears out there. This cooly confident 11-foot tall Hanukkah bear doesn’t need to overcompensate for anything.
Buy it here.
This T-Rex seems so happy for Hanukkah! Can it light a menorah like the one on its blue holiday sweater with its tiny dinosaur hands? Can it spin that very nice dreidel beside it? I’m not sure but I’m choosing to believe it can. I believe in you, Jewish T-Rex!
Buy it here.
Baby Dino (Hanukkah Superstore, $72)
Macabbe Moose (Hanukkah Superstore, $136)
Hanukkah Superstore, the same makers who brought us the above Hanukkah T-Rex, have two new Hanukkah inflatables out this year along with their incredibly popular “unikkah” which is an older item that sold out because look at that unicorn with a menorah instead of a horn!! Look at all those colors! Is it a kosher menorah? I don’t care, because it’s perfect. There’s also Maccabee moose (Hanukkah needs more moose merchandise; their horns make for a perfect menorah) and an adorable baby dino you can put by your T-Rex and have an entire Hanukkah dinosaur family. Perfection.
Visit the Hanukkah Superstore.
This is a somehow less cool, much smaller but still quite cute bear option. It has a blue kippah and a dreidel with the right letters; its smile is serene and not scary; it isn’t overcompensating with a lot of Jewish stars, but just has a little blue kippah. I like this bear’s energy.
Buy it here.
After perusing many Hanukkah snowmen, I have decided that this one is the least offensive, probably because it is the only one made by a real Judaica maker. I like the hat with all the letters of the dreidel in what is almost the right order. The matching mittens and scarf are very stylish. I enjoy the fact that it’s holding a candle, ready to light the menorah. I wish it had more shiny technicolor lights like this snowman, who, unfortunately, is flanked by a dreidel that has its letters in the wrong order, but overall, a really nice job from Zion Judaica.
Buy it here.
People of the world! Join hands! Start a dreidel train, a dreidel train! We all know a kid who is obsessed with trains, and this one has a very joyful dreidel driving it (a really good way to avoid getting your dreidel letters wrong is just giving it an adorable face instead) and a sweet waving menorah in the back. It’s definitely on a mission to make Hanukkah more adorable than ever, and even has some red details to compliment the usual yellows and blues.
Buy it here.
If you, like me, like gnomes, but want something super understated for your garden, this Hanukkah gnome may be it. I can’t tell you why it feels right to me that this gnome is wearing a tallis, it just does.
Buy it here.
This is some impressively big outdoor decor, and perfect for an interfaith family or if you’re looking for something that’s a bit — and I say this word in the most positive way — gaudy. Just don’t tell your neighbors to check out your holliballs.
Buy them balls here.
Dreidels! Gifts! Fireworks! Jewish stars! A menorah with an extra Jewish star on it because you can never have enough! These lights are for if you really want your house to have maximum Hanukkah cheer, best paired with an inflatable or two (or three).
Buy it here.
If you are less into lawn decor (or maybe don’t have a lawn!) but want a nice festive, outdoor-facing touch, putting these bright dreidels at your window may give you that little extra Hanukkah joy. After all, Hanukkah is literally all about shining lights out of your window.
Buy them here.
Speaking of shining lights out of your window, here is a menorah that just twinkles out of your window for the entire holiday season.
Buy it here.
Dreidel-shaped Hanukkah lights! These are so wonderfully realistic.
Buy them here.
Another option for cute, and lighter blue, Hanukkah string lights, with both dreidels and menorahs on them.
Buy them here.
I know Hanukkah wreaths may not be for everyone, but as this 18Doors article reminds us, in the Book of Maccabees, it says that Judah and the Maccabees, after their victory, “decked the front of the Temple with crowns of gold and small shields,” and that crowns at that time were wreaths. So putting a Hanukkah wreath on your door may be the best way to pay tribute to the Maccabees, actually?
Hanukkah Wreath from Courted Wreaths (Etsy, $89)
A beautiful handmade wreath with lots of Hanukkah touches.
Buy it here.
If you celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas and want to go all out, this incredibly colorful and bright wreath that almost blinds you with its joint holiday joy may be what your door needs.
Buy it here.
Yarn Hanukkah Wreath from JoyChooserDesigns ($66.00)
This patterned yarn wreath is an elegant option that doesn’t look like your average wreath.
Buy it here.
Indoor decor:
This really cute felt garland with doves, a menorah and Jewish stars is perfect for a nursery or mantle.
Buy it here.
Adara Rituals, a Jewish-owned business, offers unique beaded ornaments and garlands. This garland, which features the different phases of the moon, can also be broken apart and used as separate decorations.
Buy it here.
This simple and affordable beaded garland is in the traditional Hanukkah colors. You can find plenty more cute Hanukkah Target decor here.
Get it here.
A luxurious Happy Hanukkah garland that will make you feel extra fancy.
Get it here.
I love a little nontraditional and understated garland, and this one with nine candles, an extra big one for the shamash, is really unique and minimalistic while still being adorable.
Get it here.
In my opinion, the best Hanukkah decor is the kind you make together as a family (and the kind that helps keep your kids busy for a little while) and these DIY decorations definitely fit the bill.
