Trivia, Dreidel Rules and Baby Gifts That Celebrate Hanukkah!
November 16, 2010Hanukkah arrives early this year–it starts December 1st. I’m here to remind you that there are adorable, Hanukkah-inspired baby gifts for newborns, but first, a bit of trivia–did you know there are 16 accepted ways to spell Hanukkah in English? Here they are: Hanukkah, Chanukah, Hanukah, Hannukah, Chanuka, Chanukkah, Channukah, Chanukka, Hanukka, Hannuka,Hannukkah, Channuka, Xanuka, Hannukka, Channukka, and Chanuqa. There’s only one in Hebrew.
Now back to holiday baby gifts!
A
1. Any number of people can take part in the game.
2. Each player begins the game with an equal number of game pieces (about 10-15) such as pennies, nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, matchsticks, etc.
4. Every time it’s your turn, spin the dreidel once. Depending on the outcome, you give or get game pieces from the pot:
a) Nun means “nisht”or “nothing” [in Yiddish.] The player does nothing.
b) Gimmel means “gantz”or “everything” [in Yiddish.]. The player gets everything in the pot.
c) Hey means “halb”or “half” [in Yiddish.] The player gets half of the pot. (If there are an odd number of pieces in the pot, the player takes half of the total plus one.)
d) Shin (outside of Israel) means “shtel” or “put in” [in Yiddish.] Peh (in Israel) means “pay.” The player adds a game piece to the pot.
The four sides of the dreidel, from right:
nun, gimmel, hey, and shin
5. If you find that you have no game pieces left, you are either “out” or may ask a fellow player for a “loan.”
6. When one person has won everything, that round of the game is over!
7. We suggest that if you use money to play the game, ask players to donate part or all of their winnings to tzedakah (charity.) You can ask parents to match these contributions. This way everyone wins and you can share the Hanukkah gifts with those in need!