<p>So, along the lines of “if a man talks in the woods and no one is there, is he still wrong…” If its Chanukah and no one is home to celebrate with, should I light a candle on the menorah (well 2, if you count the shamus) ?? Its lonely and quiet and empty in my house right now. Wished both of the boys a happy chanukah on line-- gave older one some gifts at thanksgiving (younger one ordered 2 things that he wanted, one of which was study cards for a class!! the other was an xbox game, after I went out on Black Friday and came back empty handed). Very anti-climactic holiday, especially after a big Thanksgiving. What are the rest of you doing??</p>
<p>Same here; I lit the candles alone a couple of hours ago. The kids got their Kindles while home Thanksgiving day and both ordered a few clothing items with my credit card. My husband isn’t home tonight as he is on call, so it is just the dog and I; she wasn’t interested in helping with the blessings!</p>
<p>Hanukkah is too early this year!</p>
<p>Happy Hanukkah to all!</p>
<p>Same to all and let’s be thankful for what we have, no matter what colleges our kids end up attending.</p>
<p>Light the candle. 
And maybe your kid(s) are lighting candles wherever they are.</p>
<p>Same dilemma here. Happy Hanukkah all!</p>
<p>Here we go!! An Iphone virtual menorah application!! [Virtual</a> Menorah - Jewish iPhone Community](<a href=“http://www.jewishiphonecommunity.org/apps/virtual-menorah]Virtual”>http://www.jewishiphonecommunity.org/apps/virtual-menorah)</p>
<p>Happy Hanukkah to you all, too. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season.</p>
<p>Happy Hanukkah! Hope you have a very blessed and joyful season. :)</p>
<p>Light the candle! And happy Hannukkah.</p>
<p>Nice music here: [New</a> Sounds: New Music for Hanukkah - WNYC](<a href=“http://www.wnyc.org/shows/newsounds/2005/dec/26/]New”>http://www.wnyc.org/shows/newsounds/2005/dec/26/)</p>
<p>Happy Hanukkah or, if you’re “old school” (like me), happy Chanukah to you too!</p>
<p>Happy Chanukah to all! I sent son a care package; he’s out of college and in an apartment in California where he’s working. I sent along a cheap menorah that he’d gotten from Chabad in college, a few dreidels, some of the decorations I used to sent to him in the dorm, candles, and a few inexpensive wrapped gifts. He was so happy to finally be able to actually light the candles (not allowed in the dorms). I was going to give him a gift card for In-and-Out but it still hasn’t arrived 14 days after ordered; guess I’ll have to cancel it.</p>
<p>This Christmas-celebrating CCer peeks in this thread to wish Happy Chanukah to her CC friends!</p>
<p>I’m also alone… and yes, I do light the candles. (I’m not totally alone, the dogs are here, so at least I had an audience for the candle-lighting).</p>
<p>There are much more Jewish apps at [Jewish</a> iPhone Community](<a href=“http://www.jewishiphonecommunity.org%5DJewish”>http://www.jewishiphonecommunity.org) website - just for Hannukah more than 20. In his Yeshiva my son using sometimes apps such Siddur, iTalmud, Mishna Berura, Jastrow Talmud Dictionary. All this stuff isn’t instead, but sometimes could be very usefull.</p>
<p>After a 10 hour work day, getting a/c repaired and cleaning up the mess, doing final negotiations for sale of 2nd house with the ex-, I served tuna fish and pizza. I had no energy to peel even one potato. Got menorah up in window and Hannukah dish towels out. B/f and I agreed that it is not the same without kids.</p>
<p>I’m hoping for another Kindle sale to buy myself a gift. Thanks to CC (& hoping for AMEX small busness credit), I went to an independent candy store and bought Hannukah stuff to include in son’s care package. Besides gelt, his package included gloves, scarf, sweater, long-sleeved T’s–items to help him thru his first NE winter. He will probably only thank me for the money.</p>
<p>So far, anti-climatic</p>
<p>I gave myself a pat on the back for mailing 40+ cards. I have time to get the rest out.</p>
<p>I always light the candles; one is not less Jewish simply because one is by oneself. In fact, when I’m physically alone, it makes it even more important to connect to the community of Jews all over the world doing the same thing. It reminds us not only of the miracle of the oil, but also of the wonders of religious freedom and that we’re all in this together.</p>
<p>Sent a large package to my daughter in college with menorah, candles, 7 gifts (8th will be exchanged between nuclear family when she gets home), dreidels, and, of course, Chanukah gelt (dark chocolate, her favorite). Saw on Facebook that she’s so excited to have Christmas lights in her apartment “for the first time ever.” Reminded her that her Chanukah package arrived and that it started last night, she laughed back and said thanks.</p>
<p>Husband, younger daughter, and I lit the candles and daughter opened gift but it’s not quite the same with one missing, last year she was home for Chanukah. Couldn’t even make a big dinner as husband had his colonoscopy this morning so he couldn’t eat and I didn’t want to tease him with the smells. We’ll make dinner tonight.</p>
<p>Important what Chedva said and I would quote it if I only knew how!</p>
<p>HAPPY CHANUKAH!!!</p>
<p>I just looked it up and Hanukkah will be really early in 2013…I think it will start the day before Thanksgiving. When did that last happen?</p>
<p>What a year 2013 will be; my husband birthday, Hanukkah and Thanksgiving all on the same day! Actually it will make planning Hanukkah and Thanksgiving dinner easier as I host Thanksgiving and everyone will be here anyway. The menu might be interesting, but we will incorporate both holidays in the meal-Turkey, sweet potatoes, brisket, latkes, veggies and birthday cake, plus the several other dishes we have at each holiday. Now that I think about it, this might be fun!!</p>
<p>My Hanukah so far…</p>
<p>Yesterday was “interesting.” I was gonna hang up the minor Hanukah decorations, some handmade by the kids and such, that we put up each year, though it PALES in comparison to XMas stuff. However, the power went out. It stayed out for over 14 hours. So, had take out dinner (Chinese…very Jewish!) by candelight, and lit the menorah. Had a fire in the fireplace. Didn’t really feel like Hanukah. No kids here. </p>
<p>My younger one is in NYC and has a menorah and Jewish apartment mates. My older one is in France and has no signs of Hanukah there. </p>
<p>We tend not to have surprise type presents and discuss kids’ birthday and Hanukah presents with them in advance. This way they get what they need or want, though it is not always on the date of the occasion or wrapped up. D1, on the day she left for Europe in early June, was with us in Boston for the send off and picked out what she wanted for her birthday (August) and Hanukah combined, though has a little bit left over to get. D2 was with us over Thanksgiving and picked out part of her present on Sunday before her airport send off too. They are missing Hanukah at home but when they both come home in late Dec., I do have a “goody bag” of items I bought in fall as I just like them to actually OPEN something. But they are missing the menorah lighting. 
I’ll leave their Hanukah decorations up (I gotta put them up first!) to see when they get home later this month.</p>
<p>Last night, “let there be light” took on a new meaning, I must say.</p>