Baby’s first Hanukkah is a magical experience for everyone—your little one will be transfixed by the beautiful flickering lights, the spinning dreidels, and the shiny wrapped gifts and chocolate gelt coins.
If baby is already eating solids, perhaps they’ll take their first taste of a latke (potato pancake) with applesauce or sour cream, or a nibble of a sufganiya (jelly donut) to commemorate the miracle of the oil during the Jewish festival of lights. It’s a feast for the senses, as well as the soul.
Our family celebrates Hanukkah, and when my kids were babies, it was a particularly special time. They loved watching us light the hanukiah (candlebra used on Hanukkah) and sing the blessings together as a family.
Many families like to give gifts during Hanukkah to add a special something to the holiday. Our family also likes to donate to a charity during Hanukkah, which I would also personally encourage families to consider: perhaps a donation to your local women’s shelter, soup kitchen, or homeless shelter?
Of course, if you’d like some suggestions for Hanukkah gifts for your baby’s first holiday, we have a list for you. And bonus: many of these Hanukkah gift ideas can be played with and enjoyed for years to come with the whole family.
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Hanukkah Toys for Your Baby
Baby’s First Hanukkah Block Set
A fantastic option for a high quality first Hanukkah toy for your little one is this Hanukkah block set from Etsy, which can be arranged to look like a hanukia. The design is personalized, to match the child you are gifting it to, measures 16.5" when assembled and fits real menorah candles. Not only is this wooden block set well made and super cute, it’s a toy that can be used for years to come as your baby grows into a toddler and preschooler for open-ended play like stacking and building. Even an older child can have fun playing around with the blocks, so there’s an educational factor too.
Hanukkah Books to Give Your Baby
Where is Baby’s Dreidel? Book
This adorable and interactive lift-the-flap board book is a perfect first Hanukkah book for baby. Even my preschooler and toddler still love looking through this fun read! Baby goes on a search for their dreidel, the traditional Hanukkah spinning top, with colorful foil-enhanced illustrations. Throughout the book, beloved author Karen Katz (of “Where Is Baby’s Bellybutton?” fame) has placed a number of other familiar symbols like a hanukkah and chocolate coins to help visually introduce your baby to the traditions of Hanukkah. The flaps are fairly sturdy as well, which is helpful for grabby little hands.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s 8 Nights of Hanukkah
Your little one may already be familiar with Eric Carle’s all-time classic “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” Even if they aren’t yet, this incredibly sweet Hanukkah board book featuring the famous hungry caterpillar is an excellent choice to give to your baby for their first Hanukkah. In this counting-themed story, each night of Hanukkah has its own activity, from singing and dancing, to gift giving, to (of course) eating delicious Hanukkah treats like latkes and sufganiyot. With sturdy pages and a smattering of familiar Hanukkah symbols, and a lovely winter wonderland, this charming book is sure to become a Hanukkah classic in your household for years to come.
Hanukkah Gifts for the Whole Family
KidKraft Hanukkah Set
Our family loves the KidKraft Jewish holiday play sets, and this Hanukkah gift set is no exception. There aren’t too many Hanukkah pretend play gift items out there, and the KidKraft set is one of the best options on the market. Made from sturdy and well-painted wood, your young children can spend hours of fun pretending to “light” their hanukkah, fry up some latkes, and play dreidel with the wooden coins. It also comes in a handy canvas bag for storage. Note that it’s not recommended for young babies due to some of the small parts being a choking hazard, but it’s perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.
Personalized Happy Hanukkah Wall Hanging
Not only is this personalized wall hanging a great piece of decor, but it’s interactive and engaging for kids of all ages. You can “light” another candle on the wall hanging’s hanukia for each night of the holiday, and on the last night you’ll have a fully lit hanukia on your wall. It’s a perfect way to engage your youngsters in participating in the Hanukkah rituals at home. And since it can be personalized, it’s a particularly special gift, especially for kids who can already recognize their names. Reviewers rave about its quality. The wall hanging comes with a dowel to be easily mounted on the wall.
Hanukkah Pajamas for the Whole Family
Hanna Andersson Hanukkah Pajamas
Hanna Andersson is famous for using extremely soft, organic cotton with sustainable manufacturing practices, and their clothes can last for years (I speak from experience; I still have Hanna Andersson pajamas in good condition that are more than 16 years old). Your delightful options include a zipped sleeper for babies and toddlers, 2-piece pajamas for kids and adults, and even a pair of pet pajamas if your dog wants to join in on the Hanukkah fun. The fun prints you can choose from include a dreidel design, a hanukkah motif and a blue stripe pattern. Not only is this a great idea for an annual family photo, but you can wear the pajamas year-round, so it’s quite practical too.
Hanukkah Coloring Pages for Your Toddler
Hanukkah Coloring Book
Your toddlers, as well as older children in your family, are sure to enjoy this fun Hanukkah coloring book designed for kids of all ages. The pages are thick enough to avoid that dreaded marker “bleed through” effect, which is a huge plus. Toddlers and preschoolers alike will love coloring in pictures of hanukiot, winter snowflakes, dreidels and many more fun images (young fans of unicorns and dinosaurs will be pleased to note they make an appearance in this coloring book as well). Even adults can get into the coloring fun too. This is a great idea for daycare teachers too, as the images photocopy well.
You can also download Truly Mama’s free Hanukkah printable coloring page on Pinterest!
Hanukkah Decorations for Your Family
Colorful Hanukkah Banner
Everyone in your family, from babies to grandparents, will enjoy this colorful and lively Hanukkah banner. The banner is perfect for displaying on your wall or hanging on the window above your Hanukkah candles. High-quality paper stock icons represent all the symbols of the holiday, from candles to jelly donuts (the one on the banner really does look good enough to eat). The banner assembles easily and folds up nicely for storage, so you can use it year after year. It also makes a perfect backdrop for baby’s first Hanukkah photos. This item’s creator specializes in well-made Judaica items for the home, and has glowing reviews for all of her products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you supposed to give gifts for Hanukkah?
There’s actually no historic tradition of gift-giving for Hanukkah. It is a fairly recent phenomenon, probably as a way for kids to feel like Hanukkah is comparable to the Christmas celebrations of their peers. So there’s no actual obligation to give Hanukkah gifts. That said, it’s always fun to give and receive presents!
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