Hanukkah (also romanized as Chanukah), sometimes known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight day Jewish holiday which may occur from late November to late December.
The festival is observed by the lights of a special candelabrum, a Menorah, upon which one candle is lit on each night of the holiday. The holiday is considered a primary holiday with the Christmas and holiday season in the United States.
The holiday had been featured in the Elmo's World special Happy Holidays! where all the holidays of the season, including Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa are shown.
In the 1990s version of Shalom Sesame, show 6 deals with the history of Hanukkah, and its celebrations. The holiday is also the subject of "Chanukah: The Missing Menorah" from the 2010s version of the program.
Like Christmas, Hanukkah has many songs associated with the holiday, including "I Have a Little Dreidel", and "Oh Chanukah". Adam Sandler became an unlikely addition to the group with his "The Chanukah Song" (which itself was spoofed on Saturday Night Live with Jimmy Fallon playing Sandler and adding Mr. Snuffleupagus to the list of Jewish Celebrities referenced in the song.)
Just as Thanksgiving has its turkey and Easter has its colored eggs, Hanukkah is not without its customary foods. Among the foods associated with the Holiday are Latkes, or potato pancakes, and jam filled doughnuts.
References
- Mr. Hooper celebrates Hanukkah. In Sesame Street Episode 0160, Gordon wonders why Hooper's Store is closed as he says to himself, "It's not Hanukkah, I don't know why it's closed." In the 1978 special Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, Bob wishes Mr. Hooper a happy Hanukkah.
- Papa Bear and Baby Bear share their Hanukkah traditions with Telly Monster in Elmo's World: Happy Holidays!. Elmo also tunes into the Hanukkah Channel to learn more about the holiday.
- Bear and his friends at the Big Blue House learn about Hanukkah and other holidays in the Bear in the Big Blue House episode "A Berry Bear Christmas." And the song within the episode, "A Holiday for Everyone," talks about there being a holiday for everyone.
- Sesame Street Magazine's Dec 2004/Jan 2005 issue featured an article on Hanukkah.
- The 2007 Sesame Street coloring book Celebrate! features Hanukkah celebrations.
- In A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa, Zoot wishes Kermit a happy Hanukkah when he and the rest of the Electric Mayhem arrive at the Christmas party. In the extended DVD release, Zoot also lights a Menorah.
- A menorah is seen on top of Rowlf's piano backstage in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie.
Productions
Chanukah
Chanukah: The Missing Menorah