Manischewitz’s Chanukah House Kit. Photo
courtesy Manischewitz.

For centuries, many children have celebrated Christmas by decorating a gingerbread house. While there’s nothing religious about it, it is a Christian tradition.

Now, Jewish children have their own holiday house: a vanilla cookie house called—wait for it—Chanukah House.

The Manischewitz Chanukah House Decorating Kit includes everything you need to build and design your house: a vanilla cookie base and an assortment of toppings and additions to decorate the house.

The toppings include blue, white, and yellow icing, sprinkles, mini beads, fondant, sugar and decorative sugar pieces of a Star of David and a menorah. Of course, you can add design elements from your own candy stash.

If you don’t want a whole house, there is also a Chanukah Sugar Cookie Decorating Kit that contains 4 vanilla cookies shaped like dreidels and menorahs, with a similar selection of sugar decorations.

The suggested retail price is $14.99 for the Chanukah House Decorating Kit and $9.99 for the Chanukah Sugar Cookie Decorating Kit.

ENTER YOUR HOUSE IN THE DESIGN CONTEST

Through December 15, 2012, you can upload a photo of your hand-decorated Chanukah House to the Manischewitz Facebook page, for the chance to win a cash prize or Manischewitz products.

The official rules are on the Facebook page.

CHANUKAH GINGERBREAD HOUSE

If you’d prefer a gingerbread house, Best Cookies makes one in Chanukah colors; you can buy it online.

Both cookie houses are certified kosher (dairy).

A gingerbread “Chanukah house” from Best Cookies. Photo courtesy Best Cookies.

Our Top Pick Of The Week is a bit different this week: There are more than 100 of them.

All year, THE NIBBLE elves seek out and taste (or test) thousands of foods and drinks, kitchen products and books.

When we find something that we think a food lover would really appreciate, we earmark it for one of our holiday gift lists.

A six-ounce box of excellent chocolate-dipped
peppermint sticks is just $5.95. Photo
courtesy King Leo Candies.

Most gifts are less than $40; many are $20 and $25. Kitchen appliances are, understandably, more.

You can find stocking stuffers for as little as $2. (Because of the recession, we didn’t create a “Luxury Gifts” list this year.)

If your mission this weekend is holiday shopping, consider clicking instead of elbowing the crowds. Don’t let shipping costs dissuade you. Think instead of gas, parking battles, lengthy treks and long waits to pay (or get a gift box!).

Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival Of Lights, begins at sundown today.

In addition to lighting the ceremonial candelabra, the menorah, there are favorite holiday foods.

Our personal favorite is the potato latke, or pancake, made from grated potatoes and onion, bound with eggs and fried.

You don’t have to be Jewish to love a latke (pronounced LOT-ka—the word is Yiddish, derived from the Belarusian latka).

Enjoy this latke recipe with white potatoes or sweet potatoes (our favorite).

They’re often served with a brisket of beef, but will complement just about anything.

Happy Hanukkah!

Potato latkes with applesauce. Photo
courtesy Zabar’s.

QUESTION: Do you spell the holiday Chanukah or Hanukkah?
A look at Google today showed that in the past month, 450,000 people searched for “Hanukkah”; only 110,000 searched for “Chanukah.” And 22,000 people searched for “latke,” with another 80,000 or so searching for “latke” plus another word—“latke recipe,” “Potato Latke,” etc.

Creamed raspberry honey is irresistible.
Photo by River Soma | THE NIBBLE.

Honey Ridge Farms has a solution for inexpensive yet delicious small gifts and stocking stuffers.

The company blends its clover honey with fruit or spice to create Apricot, Blackberry, Cranberry, Raspberry and Spiced Honey Crèmes.

Luscious, yet light on the palate, these honey crèmes are delicious on just about anything: toast, scones, waffles ice cream, or as a cheese condiment. Add some to grilling sauces or marinades; and by all means, sweeten tea or other beverages. Flavors include Apricot, Blackberry, Cranberry, Raspberry and Spiced.

The honeys are available in 2.25-ounce, 5.5-ounce and 12-ounce jars at $3.49, $4.99 and $8.99, respectively. For a larger gift, consider a gift crate with three 5.5-ounce jars. Purchase online at HoneyRidgeFarms.com.

These yummy personalized jumbo sugar
cookies from Harry & David make a perfect
small gift or party favor. Photo by
Katharine Pollak | The Nibble.

Chanukah/Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, begins at sundown on Wednesday, December 1st. It continues through sundown on Thursday, December 9.

There’s a gift for everyone on our list of kosher Hanukkah gifts: cheese, chocolates, cookies, nuts, toffee and other delicious gifts.

Take a peek; then come back for a little Hanukkah history.

The holiday commemorates a battle that took place some 2,200 years ago. Judea, the land of the Jews (the southern part of what is now Israel), was under the rule of Greece.

A Greco-Syrian king forbade the Jewish people from observing their religion. They were prohibited from praying to their God, studying the Torah* and practicing their customs.

A small group of resistance fighters called the Maccabees waged war for three years to drive the very large Greco-Syrian army out of Judea. When they returned to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, they cleaned and rededicated their house of worship.

Here’s what most people remember about the Hanukkah story:

The Maccabees discovered that the enemy had defiled the oil which was used to light the temple’s menorah (lamp). Only enough purified oil remained to light the menorah for one day. It would take a week to make more purified oil. But a miracle occurred:

After the the menorah was lit, the flames burned for eight days—by which time new vats of purified oil were ready.

Thus, the Hanukkah Menorah holds eight candles plus a shamash† candle used to light the eight. And why Hanukkah lasts for eight days.

*Today the Torah comprises the five books of the Old Testament, which contain Judaism’s founding laws and ethical texts.

†The Hebrew word shamash means “the attendant.” The beadle (synagogue attendant) in a temple is also called a shamash.

Chanukah, the festival of lights, starts at sunset tonight through sunset, December 19th, or in the Hebrew calendar, the 24th of Kislev, 5770. Most people enjoy celebrating with potato latkes (you can send them as a gift from Linda’s Latkes).

Even if you’re not Jewish, why not make some latkes over the weekend, and join the never-ending discussion over which is the better topping: applesauce or sour cream. (In our book, it’s crème fraîche and salmon caviar.)

But, for something a little different:

Star Of David pasta from The Pasta Shoppe.

Take a look at our favorite kosher Chanukah gifts for 2009 (or 5770, as it were). For those concerned about packing on the pounds over the holidays, our favorite guilt-free munchies are the Tillen Farms Pickled Vegetables. They prove that, while others are enjoying the latkes and the brownies, the calorie- and carb-counters can have their own fabulous treats.