Thanksgivukkah facts for kids
Thanksgivukkah is a fun name for a special time when two holidays, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah, happened at the same time. This rare event took place on Thursday, November 28, 2013. The name "Thanksgivukkah" is a mix of "Thanksgiving" and "Hanukkah."
This special timing happened because the Hebrew calendar (which follows the moon and solar year) and the Gregorian calendar (the one most of the world uses) don't line up perfectly. Hanukkah's date changes each year on the Gregorian calendar.
A woman named Dana Gitell from Boston came up with the name "Thanksgivukkah." She and her sister-in-law, Deborah Gitell, made a Facebook page and a Twitter account for it. They even bought the website name! The idea became very popular across the U.S.
Some people had different ideas for the name. The Manischewitz company, which makes kosher food, spelled it "Thanksgivukah." An Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, even asked, "Why 'Thanksgivukkah'? Why not 'Chanksgiving?'" They pointed to a TV show called The O.C., which created the similar mixed holiday name "Chrismukkah."
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When Did Thanksgivukkah Happen?
Thanksgiving Day and Hanukkah have lined up before, but it's very rare.
Past Overlaps
Thanksgiving Day fell during Hanukkah at least twice between 1863 and 2013. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a U.S. federal holiday.
- In 1888, Thanksgiving was the first day of Hanukkah.
- In 1899, Thanksgiving was the fourth day of Hanukkah.
The 1888 event even got attention in the news. The New York Herald reported that synagogues held joint Thanksgiving and Hanukkah services.
Why 2013 Was Unique
Thanksgiving used to be celebrated later in November than it is now. Since 1941, Thanksgiving is always on the fourth Thursday of November. The last time the fourth Thursday of November fell during Hanukkah before 2013 was in 1861. That was even before Thanksgiving became an official holiday! Because of this, some news reports mistakenly said that Thanksgivukkah had never happened before 2013.
Future Overlaps
It will be a very long time until the first day of Hanukkah happens on Thanksgiving Day again. This is because the two calendars slowly drift apart. One scientist figured out that if the Jewish calendar doesn't change, Thursday, November 28, won't fall during Hanukkah again until the year 79811! Many news sources shared this funny calculation.
However, the Jewish day starts at sunset, not midnight. So, there will be two more times when Hanukkah and Thanksgiving partially overlap. The first night of Hanukkah will begin on the evening of Thanksgiving Day. These dates will be:
- Thursday, November 27, 2070
- Thursday, November 28, 2165
The last time this partial overlap happened was in 1918.
How People Celebrated Thanksgivukkah
People celebrated Thanksgivukkah in many creative ways, showing how special this rare event was.
Official Recognition and Events
- The Mayor of Boston, Thomas Menino, officially called November 28, 2013, "Thanksgivukkah." He said it was a "once-in-a-lifetime event."
- Massachusetts State Representative Louis Kafka and Rabbi David Paskin planned a gathering. They wanted to give a turkey-shaped menorah (a candle holder for Hanukkah) to other representatives for the Massachusetts State House.
- U.S. President Barack Obama gave a speech. He compared the fight for freedom by the Maccabees (the heroes of Hanukkah) to the journey of the Pilgrims (who celebrated the first Thanksgiving).
Parades, Music, and More
- Macy's added a giant dreidel (a spinning top played on Hanukkah) to its Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
- The Dirty Sock Funtime Band wrote a song called "Hannukah, O Hannukah (Introducing the Menurkey!)" and performed it.
- A rabbi in Mineola, Long Island, even gave a "pardon" to a kosher turkey. This was a fun nod to the tradition of presidents pardoning a turkey for Thanksgiving.
Community Gatherings
- A festival was held in Los Angeles on November 29, 2013. It featured music from the Moshav Band and rapper Kosha Dillz. This event was funded by people donating money online through a platform called Jewcer.
- The Beth Tfiloh Congregation in Pikesville, Maryland, set off fireworks to celebrate Thanksgivukkah.
White House Recognition
President Obama recognized Thanksgivukkah at the official White House Hanukkah reception on December 5. He specifically mentioned Asher Weintraub, who created the "menurkey," and Dana and Deborah Gitell for coming up with the name "Thanksgivukkah."
International Celebrations
- In London, England, the Saatchi Shul hosted a Thanksgivukkah dinner on Friday night.
- In Tel Aviv, Israel, Nefesh B'Nefesh co-hosted a Thanksgivukkah dinner and a clothing drive.
Humor and Opposition
- Comedians like Stephen Colbert and the show Dish Nation made fun of Thanksgivukkah in a lighthearted way.
- Comedian Yisrael Campbell starred in a fake movie trailer called Happy Thanksgivukkah, where a non-Jewish family's Thanksgiving dinner is taken over by a large Jewish family celebrating Hanukkah.
- Some people didn't like the idea of mixing the holidays. They felt it made both festivals less important. An "Anti-Thanksgivukkah" song was even featured in Heeb Magazine and The Jewish Daily Forward.
Thanksgivukkah Food Ideas
Many people came up with creative ways to combine traditional foods from both holidays.
- BuzzFeed shared recipes like turkey brined (soaked) in Manischewitz wine, with challah bread and apple stuffing.
- They also suggested latkes (potato pancakes eaten on Hanukkah) with cranberry applesauce.
- Other ideas included sweet potato latkes, turkey cutlets with a latke crust, and pecan pie rugelach (a type of rolled pastry).
- People also made turkey doughnuts, pumpkin kugel (a baked dish), and sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts for Hanukkah) with cranberry or pumpkin fillings.
- Sweet potato, prune, and carrot tzimmes (a sweet stew) were also suggested.
A restaurant in Lower Manhattan called Kutsher’s Tribeca offered a special three-course Thanksgivukkah dinner. It included sweet potato latkes topped with melted marshmallows. The Manischewitz company even launched a big advertising campaign to support the holiday.
Chef Laura Frankel from Chicago created a menu of Thanksgivukkah dishes. These included pumpkin-spice latkes and turkey schnitzel (thin, breaded meat) with thyme and orange zest.
Thanksgivukkah Products and Shopping
Thanksgivukkah led to many special products being sold online.
- A nine-year-old boy named Asher Weintraub from Manhattan, New York, raised over $48,000 online to make a turkey-shaped menorah. He called it a "menurkey."
- Another crafter in Seattle, Washington, made her own Thanksgiving-inspired menorah after seeing a camel menorah. She decided she needed a "Turkorah."
- Some people thought that this special holiday might change the holiday shopping season, making stores start their sales earlier.
- A special Thanksgivukkah "pop-up store" opened in Atlanta.
- The Manischewitz company also created a line of products just for this day.
Why Thanksgivukkah Made Sense
Even though the products and humor were lighthearted, many people felt Thanksgivukkah had a deeper meaning. It connected to important ideas about freedom in America.
- One supporter told the New York Daily News that there are "amazing similarities" between the Pilgrims seeking religious freedom and what the Maccabees fought for.
- The Hanukkah story is about Judah Maccabee leading the Hebrews to fight for freedom and win against the Greeks long ago.
- This holiday was seen as a great chance for Jewish Americans to celebrate their country and for everyone to appreciate their shared religious freedoms.
- In 1888, the New York Herald wrote that the two festivals "merged well together." They described Hanukkah as "a thanksgiving festival for deliverance from… tyranny."
- Some people even wrote a "Thanksgivukkah Manifesto." It claimed this was the perfect holiday for Jewish Americans who are becoming less religious.
Harvest Festival Roots
Some people also believe that both Hanukkah and Thanksgiving have roots in the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot.
Similar Holiday Mixes
Thanksgivukkah isn't the only holiday mix-up.
- Chrismukkah is a mix of Christianity's Christmas and Judaism's Hanukkah. This term became popular because of the TV show The O.C. Chrismukkah is sometimes celebrated as a fun, alternative holiday.
- Other similar mixed names include Chrismahanukwanzakah and HanuKwanzMas. These combine Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.
In his book, "A Kosher Christmas: 'Tis the Season to Be Jewish" (2012), Rabbi Joshua Eli Plaut talks about these mixed Jewish holidays. He discusses how Hanukkah and the holiday season have become more "Americanized" for Jewish people in the U.S.
