The First Night

Let us count the ways.....

Hanukkah

Hannukah

Chanuka

Chanukah

Channukah

Chanukkah

I know there must be more,

but however you spell it,

have a happy eight days!

A little story.....

Tonight, Simon's memory will probably kick into play when we strike the match to light the first candle.  It's funny how such a small gesture can arouse, not only a child's excitement, but also a little Yorkie's.  See, Simon is a spoiled little pup that receives a present on each night of Hanukkah (the only one that does in this household).  Granted, the gifts lack excitement in human terms, (they're just regular old treats) but he's easy to please.  The moment that match is struck and we start to recite the blessings, the light guy begins yapping and running around in circles.  As the week progresses, he tends to become even more impatient and demanding of his present.  The first year we began giving him gifts each night, which was only a couple of years ago, he had us in stitches on the ninth night (right, you got it, there is no 9th night).  Our ritual is when dinner is over and the dishes have been cleaned, we walk downstairs to the media room where the menorah sits on the bar countertop (appropriate place, huh).  Well, wouldn't you know, on that 9th night, when he realized we weren't coming downstairs, we heard him yapping down there.  Initially, we thought he was telling us he needed to go out, since that is where he normally leaves from to do his business, but when I came downstairs, he was sitting facing the bar counter.  That little munchkin.  I do have a video somewhere, I might just have to post it one night.