Ways To Celebrate Hanukkah 2022 In Charlotte

We're the Carolinas Original Christmas music station, but as the only Jewish person on staff in our Charlotte office, I wanna share some info about Hanukkah. Hanukkah, or Chanukah, is the 'Festival of Lights'. We celebrate every year for eight days and the dates are always different as it goes by the Jewish (Hebrew) calendar.

Hanukkah commemorates the re-dedication of the Holy Temple. The Jewish people rose up against the Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt. After reclaiming the Temple, there was enough oil to light a lamp for a single day. The tiny bit of oil lasted for eight days, which is why we celebrate Hanukkah for eight days instead of one.

Each night we light candles on a menorah. The first night we light one, the second night two, and it goes on for eight days. This year Hanukkah will be celebrated from Sunday, December 18 thru Monday, December 26. As a kid, my family celebrated the first night of Hanukkah with a big meal, which includes latkes, or potato pancakes. If you've never tried them, they're yummy! We'd also play a game of dreidel. All the cousins would play. A dreidel is a Jewish top, and you'd play for gelt, or chocolate coins. All of the kids would get a gift every night for the eight days/nights.

My friends were always jealous when I was a kid because they thought I'd get more presents than them since Hanukkah lasted eight days and Christmas was only one. Truth told, the giftage worked out to be around the same amount. LOL!

According to Charlotte Five, there are numerous ways to celebrate Hanukkah in Charlotte, which include food and fun activities. If you've never experienced Hanukkah, check out one of these fun events!

You can attend 'The Unite with Light Chanukah Festival' on Sunday, Dec. 18. It will be held at Symphony Park at Southpark with a menorah lighting, a live DJ, a light show, and Hanukkah refreshments. You can get tickets here, which are free!

There's also a Chanukah gift shop open every Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Wednesday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m., until Hanukkah, with a selection of gifts, toys, crafts and menorahs. The Center is holding other events which you can see here.

This is definitely not an event that was around when I was a kid! You can check out a Chanukah Laser Spectacular at StoneCrest Shopping Center's Fountains Plaza. It's Monday, December 19, at 5:30 p.m.  The Ballantyne Jewish Center menorah lighting will include the laser show along with a juggler, latkes and doughnuts.

This is a Hanukkah event for just the grown-ups! The Chabad Young Professionals of Uptown Charlotte and the Jewish Federation are holding 'Drinks + Dreidels 5.0' on Wednesday, December 21 from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. at Ink N Ivy uptown. Dress in cocktail attire and do some networking.

Tickets for the event are $30 per person and there will be an open bar, a photo booth, a doughnut and latke bar, a menorah lighting and more!

See a big menorah lighting in Matthews on Tuesday, December 20 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte is hosting the town of Matthews lighting ceremony will include lots of family fun including kids activities such as Chanukah Sand Art, a photo opp with Judah the Maccabee and chocolate Chanukah gelt.

This fun Hanukkah event in Huntersville is free! You can light up the night celebrating Hanukkah with Birkdale Village and Chabad of Lake Norman. There will be kid's crafts, doughnuts, latkes, gelt, and more during a traditional menorah lighting ceremony.

For those that live in the Waxhaw area, this free event is happening Wednesday, December 21. The Ballantyne Jewish Center’s Waxhaw Menorah Lighting will include activities for the whole family, crafts, music and, of course, traditional Hanukkah doughnuts and latkes. Hot drinks will be available, too.