Thanksgivukkah is Here, Y’all {and the fun doesn’t stop there!}

Thanksgivukkah is upon us, y’all.  While most of you are gearing up for turkey and stuffing and cranberries {oh my!}, all of your Jewish friends and neighbors are prepping for a once in a lifetime marriage of two of their favorite holidays!  Thanksgiving + Hanukkah falling on the same day = Thanksgivukkah!!

As it turns out, with a few little twists and blending of traditions, Thanksgivukkah is sooooo easy to pull off.  The pins, my friends, are OUT. OF. CONTROL!!!  Here are a few of my faves ::

{1} – Jelly Donuts, a traditional food eaten on Hanukkah, made with a little cranberry filling

{2} – A menorah made from a hollowed out gourd filled with succulence

{3} – Turkey Menorah Applique t-shirts!  I don’t know why The Little Crane didn’t think of this genius Thanksgivukkah idea!!

{4} – Sweet Potato Latkes with cranberry sauce…yum!!

I hope my kids are old enough to remember the year we made turkey/pumpkin menorahs and decorated Star of David cookies alongside fall leaves.  It’s going to be a doozie and all of the Samets are pumped.

The sad news – Thursday will come and go and Thanksgivukkah will just be a memory.  The happy news – There will still be 6 more nights of Hanukkah, and I have a few more tricks up my sleeve to keep the excitement going!

See that banner hanging behind us in the 2012 photo??  Two years ago, I found an idea on Pinterest that was really intended for a family observing advent.  There were little bags dangling on a banner with numbers 1-25.  Each bag had a small gift that would be opened every day leading to Christmas and I thought…..I can soooooooooo pull that off for Hanukkah.  I ran to Michael’s and bought 8 little canvas sacks.  I traced numbers onto fabric I already had and then just used fabric glue to attach the numbers to the sacks.  I clipped the sacks onto a piece of yarn with clothespins and DONE!  The little bags are just big enough for small dollar bin items.

It’s a great way for the girls to keep track of how many nights have gone by and how many more are to come.  And really…it just makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over that when they see me hanging up the banner on the first night of Hanukkah, they know this is our thing.  We light candles, we play dreidel, we open presents, and we get a special little treat from the banner.

Last year I was sooooo pregnant and may or may not have been the Hanukkah grinch by the eighth crazy night.  This year, however, with Thanksgivukkah, Neighbor Night, Extended Family Night, Friend Night, Peirce Night…it’s going to be the MOST fun!  For those of you celebrating, tell us what your traditions are!  I’m always looking to ‘up’ the fun.  Happy Hanukkah, y’all!