Hanukkah Rocks! and other excited exclamations!
Chanukastic fever swept the nation. Well, as much as it could. When you come from a country so infused with 'Holiday' cheer to Israel, there's a bit of a culture shock. There are several reasons why you'll never have a solid month of shopping, television holiday specials and complete christmas carol radio. The country's too secular, there's no Thanksgiving, the only gift giving holidays are the new year and Purim.
Honestly we've got two compteing ideologies here. One is the mindset of the American, where December is equal to the Holiday season, atheist/Christian/Jewish/otherwise. Every where you turn come the day after Turkeyday, you're bombarded by wreaths, holiday specials and Salvation Army bell ringers. Even the most Scroogiest citizens are mentally and subconsciously imbued with a sense that something makes this month different from all other months..
Secondly, Israel isn't as Jewish as you may think. The country has become largely secularized, so don't think that since Christmas is colossal in the states that Hanukkah must be huge in HaAretz. While publicly recognized, Israel is decked out in kachol and levan (well, no more so than normal) for the month leading up to the 8 day fest. Parties are present and gift giving is minimal, but the major holidays for the average Israeli is Yom Kippur, Pesach, and the two Israeli holidays of Memorial and Independence Day. As far as gift giving goes, you're more likely to get the big ones on your birthday or Purim than some obscure candle-lighting chag in the middle of winter.
Needless to say, the holiday is currently going on--I'm in the wee hours of the morning of the 5th candle. I've been incredibly stressed all week with finals and the Israeli students don't even have break for another month. But they're now over, I celebrated by sleeping most of the afternoon after my last class. Baruch Hashem, it's over. I'm more looking forward to my trips to Eilat for the New Year and NYC for the first week of January. I still have papers to write, but I've got 4 weeks on Kibbutz. I've got nothing but time..