Chanukah
also spelt Hanukkah, Chanucah, Hannukah
Chanukah is the Jewish festival of lights. It is an eight-day festival, usually celebrated in December and commemorates the uprising against the Syrian King Antiochus in the year 165 BC. The victorious Maccabee family, and their followers, regained Jerusalem and inaugurated and eight-day dedication of the Temple. The story is told that they found only one jar of the pure oil that was needed to light the flame of thanksgiving. Although this would not last for more than one day, it kept the lamp burning for the full eight days until more oil could be prepared. This was regarded as a miracle by the Jews.
Today, the festival of Chanukah - meaning dedication - celebrates this miracle. Every Jewish home has a menorah, which is an eight-branched candelabrum or special candlestick. One candle is lit and placed in the menorah every might of the holiday.
It is a happy festival with special songs and food, and often presents for each night. Traditionally, children are given a special toy called a dreidel (pronounced dray-dle). This is a many sided spinning top, which seems to characterise the gaiety of the festival
(acknowledgements to Jean Gilbert - Oxford University Press)