Looking For Chanukah in All The Wrong Places

by Katy on December 17, 2024 · 31 comments

I wrote the other day about how my daughter and I went to Cost Plus World Market to shop for international treats. This was my inaugural World Market experience and was overwhelmed by the enormity of the store. One thing I noticed while corralled in line was how I hadn’t spied even a single Chanukah item, but chalked it up to having ignored most of the store. I did notice some silver packaged gelt, but they had Christmas theme graphics, so I didn’t grab any.

Their merchandise was generally pretty cute, so I wondered if I’d maybe missed out their Chanukah section and made a note to check their website when I got home. Umm . . . the above photo is what came up under their “Hanukkah” category. They do sell Chanukah gelt and a single box of menorah candles, but otherwise everything was white, blue or clear housewares. No wrapping paper, no gift boxes, no cute menorahs, just Bubkis!

This doesn’t upset me, as it’s more absurd than anything else. I can clearly picture everyone gathered around their special PLAIN WHITE dish ware for the festival of lights!

“Happy Chanukah kids, I put out the special plates!”

Of course, World Market is better than Hobby Lobby who full on stopped selling Chanukah merchandise last year. So . . . well done World Market?

Of course, I do my best to buy used whenever possible, so it’s not like I was going to load up a cart. Although I might’ve grabbed a box of candles, had they been in my eyeline. I do look out for elusive Chanukah items when perusing Goodwill’s Christmas aisles. This method has turned up a myriad of lovely items through the years, as well as some especially tacky things.

Like this plastic light up menorah:

Although it’s not all plastic tchotchkes, as this $2.99 silver menorah did come home with me:

I’m able to stock up on cheap menorah candles whenever I come across them while thrifting:

I was tempted to buy this “Joy” piece and slice off the “J,” but it was priced at $4.99 and that’s too much money for a stupid joke.

Ya’ll know that I’ve been thrifting for the elusive “V” stocking holder to complete the formal (and oh so traditional) “OY VEY” for my mantle. Someday it’ll happen, but until then I thrive off the thrill of the hunt.

Nice try, ho!

Finding cute, not tacky Chanukah decor is like the proverbial needle in a haystack, although it makes it all the more satisfying when I do find a gem. And that special item? It’s absolutely not a plain white plate!

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }

Christine December 17, 2024 at 12:54 pm

Pooh pooh to Hobby Lobby. Not surprising to hear they don’t have Hannukah items as they appear to be an ultra right wing Christian company. Besides being anti women’s health care. Personally, I have never set foot in one and don’t plan on it. Back to the pursuit of Hannukah items…the thrift stores all seem to have a glut of Christmas items but Hannukah items seem scarce. Hope you can find some.

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Katy December 17, 2024 at 3:46 pm

I don’t actually need anything, but it’s still nice to see it.

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A. Marie December 17, 2024 at 3:46 pm

Re: Hobby Lobby et al.: About the best we can do in cases where a company’s values don’t align with our own is to vote with our wallets, which I do. (I haven’t bought anything from Amazon in a year and a half, either. Take THAT, Schmeff Schmezos!)

And re: the general absence of recognition for Chanukah, I hear you and feel it. But as I write, I’m listening on YouTube to the Peter, Paul, and Mary holiday concert from the late 1980s, where Chanukah got some marvelous attention. “Don’t let the lights go out!”

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Christine December 17, 2024 at 3:53 pm

I’m with you on Amazon. We took the leap off the Amazon train a year ago and don’t miss it.

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Andrea G / Midwest Andrea December 17, 2024 at 1:28 pm
Katy December 17, 2024 at 3:45 pm

That one is somehow so dated, I don’t like the curved lines. I’m a picky gal!

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Heidi Louise December 17, 2024 at 1:43 pm

I need to read up on Jewish traditions– I can’t imagine what all those buttons on the remote for the electric menorah are for. Or what is on the included USB Card.

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Katy December 17, 2024 at 3:44 pm

The remote is just to switch the colors, not religious about that part.

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cathy December 17, 2024 at 5:54 pm

Sometimes the remote on an electric menorah is to change from solid lights to flashing or a chaser. My mom has an electric menorah that she’s had for at least 50 years. I took it in to get the cord replaced last year. But hers is old enough that if she wants blinking or flickering lights, we have to find those specific bulbs.

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Rose December 17, 2024 at 2:48 pm

My friend, who’s a potter in Vermont, makes chanukiahs and sells them at craft fairs. She gave me one but *whisper* I don’t really like it.

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Mary Ann December 17, 2024 at 3:10 pm

Don’t feel targeted with the lack of Hanukkah gifts. For the devout Catholic, such as myself, there is exactly one pack of advent candles being sold at both Michaels and Hobby Lobby. They are too big to go in the Advent creche candle holder I have. I bought instead 6 inch gold tree candles and will tie an appropriate purple or pink ribbon on each. Purple and Pink doesn’t make the cut for mass merchandise “Christmas” machine.

I had to special order my son’s gift which is a St. John the Baptist medal – his confirmed patron saint.

Granted there are crosses galore but few nativity scenes.

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Katy December 17, 2024 at 3:43 pm

Luckily I’m not feeling targeted. I could have walked over to Target who always has some fun Chanukah items in their stores.

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Ruby December 17, 2024 at 3:14 pm

I had a second career of many years as an Episcopal parish administrator and the only place we could find Advent candles was an expensive church supply company.

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Katy December 17, 2024 at 3:42 pm

That doesn’t surprise me. We have Judaica stores, (not many here in Portland) and I can always go there for the items I need.

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Rose December 17, 2024 at 4:32 pm

Here on Long Island (and NYC) we have tons of religious supply stores. Heck, there’s even a shop with a bunch of outlets called The Advent Shop! We gotcher Catholic stuff, your Judaica, even Santeria.

The one thing that bums me about Son’s chosen Episcopal church is it doesn’t have an organ. I don’t know why. I grew up with organs! My friend’s husband plays the organ for various churches professionally! I should probably ask. Other than that, it’s your standard LI Episcopal church with the correct number of Tiffany windows.

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ANNA December 17, 2024 at 4:58 pm

Katy, BH&G just sent me an email. They hear you loud and clear and would like to make up for World Market’s lack of enthusiasm:
Celebrate Tradition
15 Hanukkah Recipes to Bring Your Family Together
10 Traditional Hanukkah Side Dishes
13 Hanukkah Table Decor Ideas for a Meaningful Holiday
The 54 Best Hanukkah Gifts of 2024
Shop the Dreidel Company on Amazon for All of Your Hanukkah Decor Needs

However, they are firmly in the consume, consume and buy more stuff camp.

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Katy December 17, 2024 at 7:10 pm

Way to go, BH&G!

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cathy December 17, 2024 at 6:00 pm

As I’ve continued my efforts to declutter (if we can’t actually downsize by moving, at least we can live smaller), the holiday decor has been some of the first to go. I’m always after stuff that can either serve double duty or that can be recycled, donated, or composted. With Hanukkah, I bring out the blue and white gingham tablecloth and napkins (originally purchased for my son’s bar mitzvah back yard BBQ party) and mix and match from there. Our dishes are white with dark blue rims. It might sound boring, but throw some gelt on the table, add in the smell of latkes, and it hits the right note.

Also FWIW, Hobby Lobby used to be actively anti-semitic. I don’t shop there, but if nothing’s changed, just as well they didn’t get your money.

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Katy December 17, 2024 at 7:09 pm

Oh yeah, they’re the worst! Smuggling looted artifacts for a a “Museum of The Bible.”

https://www.npr.org/2018/06/28/623537440/hobby-lobbys-illegal-antiquities-shed-light-on-a-lost-looted-ancient-city-in-ira

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cathy December 17, 2024 at 7:57 pm

Ugh.
It gets easier and easier to just say no to Big Box stores.

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Katy December 17, 2024 at 8:32 pm

Underconsumption for the win!

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Farhana December 17, 2024 at 7:08 pm

No to Hobby Lobby as well. They smuggled Iraqi artifacts as if invading/ destroying Iraq wasn’t enough ( remember, weapons of mass destruction?). Here’s more on that if anyone’s interested- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby_Lobby_smuggling_scandal

Katy, can you share a link to what you’re looking for so I can keep an eye out for it?

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Lindsey December 17, 2024 at 7:12 pm

When I read about Jewish folks who also put up a Christmas tree, it makes me smile. I was raised in a neighborhood of people who were connected not by race but by having been in the Nazi camps or displaced persons camps or both. Even after arriving here, many of the Jews were worried about identifying as Jews, so non-Jews on the street began putting menorahs in their front windows in solidarity and to show that it was safe. It was not a huge street, about 15 houses I think. We all knew each other as in the old ways, when the old ladies sitting on the porch felt free to yell out if they saw you doing something wrong. (Or, as happened to me, to yell out to a date that I had good hips for childbearing.)

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Katy December 17, 2024 at 8:31 pm

Wow, that’s amazing! (The neighbors with their menorahs, not the “childbearing hips” comment!) I’m not putting up a tree this years, it’s my small protest against the rise of Christian nationalism in our government. Also, it’s very scratchy to set up.

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Selena December 17, 2024 at 7:27 pm

UGH Hobby Lobby or as I prefer to call it, buyers of stolen artifacts from other countries. Any of us got caught doing that, we’d be incarcerated. Not the Ho Lo folks, the fines they paid were paltry.

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Katy December 17, 2024 at 8:27 pm

It’s just so hypocritcal to steal artifacts for a museum dedicated the the bible! Thou shalt not ____________.

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Li December 17, 2024 at 9:16 pm

Weird. I went to the World Market at Washington Square today, and I saw Hanukkah stuff.

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christina December 18, 2024 at 7:30 am

I live in a very trumpy white christian area and went in to our local Target and could not find a single Hanukkha thing. I asked the sales person where the hanukkha stuff was and he looked at me like I had just sprouted horns. So none in our store. I’m not Jewish but I do put out a menorah and light candles and make laktes because I like it. I’m not Christian but put up a small Christmas tree. I have never been to a Hobby Lobby because they are ultra right wing christian but now there’s more reason than ever not to go in one of their stores.

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Vickey December 21, 2024 at 12:39 pm

Katy, I hear ya on resisting the right-wing Christo(-fascist!) dominance of our over-culture and government.
This atheo-pagananism-curious happy humanist puts up a Christmas tree and revels in its definitely not Christian roots – pagans and other earth-centric religions using greens, trees, candles, etc. to celebrate the solstice. 🙂

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lulutoo December 19, 2024 at 9:16 am

Last year, Barnes & Noble sold one Chanukah gift card among the dozens of Christmas ones. Nice? Not really because it depicted SEVEN candles in the menorah (three on each side and the one center one) instead of nine.

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Katy December 19, 2024 at 10:31 am

All it takes is showing your design to a single Jewish person.

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