It’s that time of year again: you have to start thinking about what to get your loved ones for Hanukkah. Thankfully, the Jewish Journal is here to help, even if you’re making a last-minute purchase.
Remember, Hanukkah starts the evening of Sunday, December 14 this year and goes until Monday, December 22 this year.
Check out these fantastic items for your 2025 Hanukkah gift list.
Simcha Kits
Do you want to make Shabbat and the Jewish holidays meaningful and fun for your kids? Then check out Simcha Kits ($95), which include everything you need to celebrate Shabbat and Hanukkah, including candles, a menorah, stickers, chocolate coins, activity kits, and brochures to help walk you through the Jewish traditions. Brittany Barragan Wolf, a mom of two young daughters, created these kits “because finding beautiful, meaningful Judaica shouldn’t feel like searching for the afikomen,” she said. “I decided to stop kvetching about Jews being underrepresented in so many spaces and do something about it.”
Purchase at simchakits.com/collections/holiday-kits
Adara Rituals Festival of Lights Candle
Light up this Smells Like a Festival of Lights candle and you’ll smell a warm and comforting fragrance; the ingredients are holy oil, temple incense, and winter solstice ($38). Plus, the wooden wick crackles, giving some major fireplace vibes.
Purchase at adararituals.com/products/smells-like-a-festival-of-lights
Primal Krisp Kosher Jerky
Do you want to snack on something healthy throughout the day? Jerky is a great option, but it often contains a lot of unhealthy ingredients. Don’t worry: Primal Krisp has got you covered, with their kosher-certified meat chips (from $8.49/bag) and chicken chips ($7.49 a bag) that don’t contain sugar or perspectives. You can load up on 40 grams of protein when you eat these paleo, keto, and carnivore approved snacks.
Purchase at primalkrisp.com
“Remember to Eat and Other Stories” Book
Author Meryl Ain’s upcoming collection of short, poignant, and humorous stories, “Remember to Eat and Other Stories” ($17.99) is available for pre-order on Amazon. It follows a Jewish family from before World War II to the not-too-distant future. The book explores the experiences of Marjorie, a baby boomer; her mother, Alice; and the friends and family that make up their community over the decades. As they each pursue higher education and choose career paths, both mother and daughter encounter challenges as they make choices within a changing society—from in-law problems to illness to antisemitism and beyond.
Purchase on Amazon
Nooish Instant Matzo Ball Soup
Founder Sarah Nathan, a Southern California native, created the world’s first instant matzo ball soup, NOOISH (starting at $36 for four cups). The kosher certified soup is parve, shelf-stable for 18 months, and, as Sarah described it, a “hug in a cup.” NOOISH has been highlighted by Drew Barrymore as one of her favorite things and endorsed by major Jewish chefs like Adeena Sussman and Micah Siva.
Purchase at nooish.co
Gifted LA Unique Gifts
Gifted LA, a Judaica store in West Los Angeles, features several fun gifts you can get for Hanukkah. Light your candles with this Banana Menorah ($150), which is made out of polished stainless steel. Or get some dreidel cocktail napkins for your Hanukkah party ($44). If someone in your life is particularly fond of challah bread, pick up this cute Challah Charm Necklace ($98).
Purchase at GiftedLA.com or in person at 10569 West Pico Blvd.
Pop N’Dulge
The Pop N’Dulge Movie Night Set ($24.98) contains popcorn everyone will love for movie night, including classic, ruby crunch, and poppin’ blue kernels, along with seasonings like butter, chive, and hot pepper. The set is OU-D Kosher, made in the USA, and beautifully packaged for gifting.
Purchase at Popndulge.com
“Fairy GodBubbie’s Shabbat” Book
“Fairy GodBubbie’s Shabbat” ($19) is the newest release from legendary Jewish children’s book author Ann Koffsky. Here’s the story: When Fairy GodBubbie visits the Mazel House, the family’s screens suddenly lose power, and they experience a peaceful, beautiful, and magical Shabbat. This lighthearted and fun tale gently and humorously shows the power of putting down our screens and eating a dinner with our family, playing games together, and taking a walk outside.
Purchase on Amazon
Hanukkah Nail Decals and Matching Family Hanukkah Pajamas
Do you want to show up to Hanukkah parties with the most festive nails possible? Then purchase Midrash Manicures’ Hanukkah Nail Decals ($14), which feature dreidels, menorahs, and latkes and last for up to eight days – just like the miracle! Another fun gift idea from the site is their Matching Family Hanukkah Pajamas in tie dye or splatter paint ($36-$46) so the entire family can match for the holiday.
Purchase at MidrashManicures.com
“Stumbling Blocks” Book
“Stumbling Blocks” ($15.99) is a second-generation Holocaust memoir, where author Jennifer Krebs tells the touching story of how her father survived the war, escaped to America, and raised her in upstate New York. “Stumbling Blocks” is Jennifer’s journey to find truth and meaning from the legacy of the Holocaust while telling her father’s meaningful story.
Purchase on Amazon
“Presenting… Dick Davy” Album from Stand Up! Records
“Presenting… Dick Davy” is a must-have for comedy fans: This album features 1960s mystery comic Dick Davy, who spoke with an Arkansas accent and sang folk music. However, it was ultimately discovered that he was a Jewish cantor from New York City. He released two records during the ‘60s, and then suddenly vanished from the scene. “Presenting… Dick Davy” is available for a digital download ($9) or on vinyl ($24.99).
Purchase at Standuprecords.com
“When Caesar Was King: How Sid Caesar Reinvented American Comedy” Book
OK, here’s another one for you comedy fans: the new book “When Caesar Was King: How Sid Caesar Reinvented American Comedy” ($30) by David Margolick. It follows the life of the comedian, who, by 1954, was the most influential, highly paid, and enigmatic comedian in the U.S. He also nurtured the likes of Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, and Neil Simon, making his unforgettable impact on comedy.
Purchase on Amazon
“Festival of Forgotten Tales” Comics
“Festival of Forgotten Tales” is a series of all-ages comics that blend popular genres and folklore with Jewish holidays and tradition. The first book, “The Beast and the Booth,” tells a Sukkot werewolf story, and was published in November 2024. Since then, authors Josh Edelglass and Arnon Shorr released the next two stories in the series, “The Tomb of the Broken Amulet,” a mummy adventure set in post-10/7 Israel, and “Batya’s Unicorn,” a North African Rosh HaShanah Unicorn fable. Each comic is $5.
Purchase at tinyurl.com/ForgottenTales
“Choosing to Be Chosen: From Being an Atheist Non-Jew to Becoming an Orthodox Jew” Book
To round out this list, I included my upcoming debut memoir, “Choosing to Be Chosen: From Being an Atheist Non-Jew to Becoming an Orthodox Jew” (Wicked Son, $19.99), which follows my journey from a broken, secular Christian home, to teenage atheism, to a chance encounter with a lapsed Jewish stand-up comedian—culminating in a spiritual quest for conversion to Orthodox Judaism. Though it’ll be released in February, make sure you pre-order the book now. Mayim Bialik said, “This book glows with humility and devotion as well as providing a fresh lens on serendipity and the power that oversees all of our journeys.”
Purchase on Amazon
