This year, a wonderful rarity has occurred and Hanukkah begins on Thanksgiving this year. In fact, many people are referring to the holiday as Thanksgivukkah. The mixture of the two is sure to result in some very interesting meals to say the least.
Hanukkah is a time for families to get together and reflect upon their heritage and honor the traditions of the Jewish culture. This year, we challenge you to make your Hanukkah sustainable and eco-friendly. It’s not as difficult as you might think. Here are several ways that you can keep Hanukkah green.
Use beeswax candles in the Menorah. Beeswax candles are a great alternative to the standard candles that are found most everywhere. Beeswax candles are paraffin and toxin free so your family can enjoy eight healthy nights.
Cook meals with locally sourced foods. One of the best parts of Hanukkah is the traditional meals cooked each night. With food being such an important part of the holiday, make sure that you get as many of the ingredients from local businesses and farms. And with such great local awareness in Boulder, that should be a breeze!
Give green gifts. It’s so easy to find wonderful gifts that were made responsibly. Dreidels made out of recycled wood, or menorahs made with repurposed material make wonderful gifts. Speaking of dreidels, when you’re spinning for chocolate gelt, make sure you get fair trade chocolate.
Use reusable gift bags instead of paper. There’s so much waste when it comes to opening gifts wrapped in paper. This year, use bags that can be used over and over again or, if you still prefer to wrap gifts, use recycled paper.
Do eight days of mitzvahs. Instead of focusing on gifts this year, why not focus on doing good in others’ lives? Every day, make it a point to do one random act of kindness, whether it’s paying for the coffee for the person behind you in line or volunteering at a soup kitchen.
The Festival of Lights only comes once a year and we wish you and your family a joyous season and we hope that you’ll make a commitment to keeping it as earth-friendly as possible.
