The Commercialization of Hanukkah
From Our Holdings
In the United States, Fisher Price has mass-produced a special play set for Hanukkah as part of its "Little People" holiday series, which includes nativity scenes and the multicultural "Families in Your Neighborhood" collection. With its introduction, the American toy company is also responding to a growing US trend.
“Little People Hanukkah Play Set” by Fisher Price; Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Jens Ziehe
Hanukkah and Christmas
Actually, Hanukkah is a minor holiday in the Jewish calendar. It is a festival of light celebrated in the home with ceremonial candle-lighting and the eating of traditional, deep-fried, oily foods. This winter holiday usually falls during the Christmas season, sometimes coinciding with Christmas day itself. Meanwhile, Christmas has become increasingly commercialized over the past decades, particularly in the United States, and Jews living as a cultural and religious minority are bombarded with relentless Christmas marketing. Not only children are allured by a magical, twinkling Christmas tree or the whiff of gingerbread. In a struggle to assert and maintain their identity, increasing numbers of Jewish families have made Hanukkah into a more important festival: it is widely observed with glowing Hanukkah lamps, fresh potato pancakes, and competitive light decorations.
Color-Coded Wrapping Paper
But what about the gift dilemma? Gifts are not traditionally given on Hanukkah, but on this point capitulation has been the preferred solution for many. The US gift industry has noticed this trend and begun developing Hanukkah products, from festival hand towels to dog toys. Even wrapping paper colors are codified: red and green for Christmas, blue and white for Hanukkah.
| Title | Little People Chanukka Play Set |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Fisher Price |
| Collection | Judaica |
| Location and year of origin | China, about 2003–2005 |
| Medium | Plastic, cardboard, metal |
| Dimensions | Various, height: 4.5–11.5 cm, width 4–17.8 cm |
| Acquisition | Donation |
Selected Objects: Judaica Collection (9)
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Judaica Collection
Our collection of ceremonial objects ranges widely from a valuable eighteenth-century Torah curtain donated by Fromet and Moses Mendelssohn to contemporary ritual items to small kitchen supplies for following Jewish dietary laws.
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Hanukkah Menorah made by Ludwig Wolpert
Simple, elegant forms and functionality – this menorah, created in 1924, is one of the the first pieces of modern Judaica.
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Seder Plate by Harriete Estel Berman
What is unusual about this contemporary seder plate is its additional recess for an orange, marking a new custom which has found growing popularity among feminists in recent decades.
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Hanukkah Toys
Traditionally, the Jewish festival of lights doesn’t involve presents. But like Christmas, Hanukkah too is increasingly commercialized, and there is already color-coded gift wrap in the US.
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Purim Costume
This costume of the first Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon, should have been a top seller for Purim. But then a tragic accident occurred.
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Scouring Pads
“No more kitchen confusion!” Three color-coded scrub brushes from the US make it easier to keep track of Jewish dietary rules.
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Torah Ornaments by Kurt Matzdorf
The artist Kurt J. Matzdorf is known for his modern interpretations. Alongside the classic materials of silver and gold, he used colored acrylic for his Judaica.
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Torah Curtain Donated by the Mendelssohns
Moses and Fromet Mendelssohn commissioned a Torah curtain, probably using the fabric from Fromet's wedding dress, and donated it to a synagogue in Berlin in 1774–75.
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Testimonial to a Family
Torah shield (Tas) and box, Kitzingen, 1711/12, purchased in 2014
Online Feature
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Havdalah Besamim Set by Paula Newman Pollachek
In our interview, the artist talks about how to create community with spice boxes.
