There are so many ways to make Chanukah a treasured holiday! Even one special thing each night will round out your family time with smiles, excitement and lasting memories of a truly fun holiday. Following are eight suggestions from Jewish educator and musician Shira Kline that will help to make your eight nights of Chanukah stand out. Make latkes with your children.
It’s messy and yummy! Play your favorite Chanukah music in the background. Download a family-friendly recipe. 
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 Have every one of your family members (and guests!) light his or her own chanukiyah. Cover a table with aluminum foil and place all of the lit chanukiyot on there together. Everyone will love seeing all of the beautiful light. Turn the overhead lights out at first for an even more dramatic and wonder-filled moment. Learn theChanukah blessings.
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 Make Chanukah decorations together. Cut out shapes of Chanukah symbols and cover them with anything you can think of. Use crayons, markers, paints, colored tissue paper, wrapping paper, fabric. Hang them up like a mobile or hang them on your wall.  Download sample shapes here.
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Storytime! The Chanukah story is packed with adventure. You’ve got an ancient king with a Napoleanic complex and a zealous rebel who just says “NO!”, a fight till the end, the underdog’s victory, a divine miracle with an oil lamp, and then a great big party to celebrate. Pick any of the fabulous Chanukah storybooks out there and read them with your children.
 Download a list of recommended storybooks from our Temple librarian.
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 The secret ingredient to Iron Chef Chanukah is…Oil! Fry up anything you want. Try frying apple slices, sweet potatoes, string cheese, onion rings…even Snickers bars.  If you can fry it, you can celebrate Chanukah with it!
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 Spread out your gift giving throughout all eight nights of Chanukah. Continue to spread the light by making one of those gifts a tzedakah gift.  For example, make a donation, buy a tree, or send a gift to a homeless shelter in your child’s name. Learn more about Chanukah giving.
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 It’s traditional to place a chanukiyah in the window. No doubt, your children will feel proud to light the candles with you and then open the curtains to share the light.  You also can make a picture of a chanukiyah and tape it on the outside of your front door.Each night, cut out a small yellow flame or use a yellow cotton ball and add it to your chanukiyah.
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Stage a massive sivivon (dreidel) competition. Create prizes for best spinner, longest spin, most gimels and, of course,  whoever collects the most in their pot by the end of the game. Use pennies (which you can give to tzedakah afterward), chocolate coins, jelly beans or peanuts (if no one is allergic to them!).  Learn how to play the dreidel game.
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