As if it were not difficult enough getting ready for Rosh Hashanah two days after Labor Day, this year the first day of Hanukkah is Thanksgiving Day. This means, my family and I will be lighting our first Hanukkah candle on the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving—when I am usually baking our pumpkin pie and setting the table for the next day’s feast. In addition, as the sun goes down following our turkey with all the trimmings, we will be lighting candles for the second night of Hanukkah, when I am usually in a vegetative state. Not only that…it appears I am going to be preparing brisket and latkes/potato pancakes for Shabbat dinner on “Black Friday,” instead of our usual turkey pot pie and leftovers! I am so happy to know I will never have to experience this dilemma again.

One thing is certain, I will not be serving latkes or sweet potato kugel/noodle pudding for Thanksgiving dinner, nor will I be preparing string bean casserole to accompany my latkes. In my house, at least, Thanksgiving is a holiday all by itself, with its own menu of beloved foods that my family looks forward to all year…and Hanukkah is the same. So while I will have to compress my holiday cooking into a 24-48 hour marathon, I will not deprive either holiday of its culinary customs. That being said, I already have my “creativity cap” on so both of these beloved holidays get their due when it comes to touting their traditions in meaningful ways.

Fortunately, on both holidays I will feel a sense of gratitude to be sharing the time with family and friends. How I love Shehecheyanu moments! I will be reminded (and do some reminding) that many people in our neighborhoods, in our country and around the world, are not as fortunate as we are, and it is our job to help repair that problem. I will look for ways that we, individually and as a group, can do something to help, whether through the gift of our hands or the generosity of our wallets. I encourage you, your family and your guests to do the same.

As you think about this convergence of holidays and its meaning, here is a list of books to have on hand for Thanksgiving and Hanukkah that keep in mind the underlying spirit of each:

Hanukkah

Chanukah Lights by Michael Rosen. Illustrated by Robert Sabuda.
© 2011, Candlewick Press. Ages 6-Adult.

Winner of the 2012 Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Book Awards (the Jewish equivalent of the Caldecott Honor), this marvel of pop-up engineering takes the reader on a 2000-year tour through Jewish history. From the Temple in Jerusalem where Hanukkah began, across deserts, over oceans, into shtetls and onto kibbutz farm land, each two-page spread is an enriching and engaging exploration of how the Hanukkah lights have always been a beacon of hope for the Jewish people.

Boris and Stella and the Perfect Gift written and illustrated by Dara Goldman.
© 2013 Sleeping Bear Press. Ages 5-9.

Boris and Stella love each other very much. So at Christmas time, Boris wants to give Stella something beautiful for her Christmas tree. At Hanukkah, Stella wants to give Boris the most exquisite driedel for his collection. When the time comes to exchange gifts, however, they realize how little gifts matter and how much they really do love each other. A lovely interfaith rendition of O. Henry’s Gift of the Magi.

Harvest of Light by Alison Ofanansky. Photographs by Eliyahu Alpern.
© 2008 Kar-Ben Publishing. Ages 4-9.

Imagine gathering the olives that will make the oil to be used to light your Hanukkah menorah. In this wonderful picture book, we once again join the Israeli family (who last month built the Sukkah) as they take us step-by-step through the process of harvesting the olives from the trees, sorting them, cleaning them and taking them to the press to be made into olive oil for their food and fuel.

Sadie’s Almost Marvelous Menorah by Jamie Korngold. Illustrated by Julie Fortenberry.
© 2013 Kar-Ben Publishing. Ages 3-8.

What happens when you spend days making a Marvelous Hanukkah Menorah (hanukkiah), but smash it when you run to show it to your mom? Well, if you are Sadie, you come up with a wonderful new tradition for your family! A beautifully illustrated, charming story of turning heartbreak into delight.

Thanksgiving

Turkey Tot by George Shannon. Illustrated by Jennifer K. Mann.
© 2013, Holiday House. Ages 4-8.

While not exactly a Thanksgiving story, creativity abounds as Turkey Tot searches for ways to reach the delicious, ripe blackberries sitting on top of the bush. Repeatedly discouraged by his friends Pig, Hen and Chick, Turkey Tot does not give up, and ultimately reaches his goal. Probably because, as Hen says, “He’s been different since the day he hatched.”

Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson. Illustrated by Matt Faulkner.
© 2002, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Ages 5-10.

“Pick up your pen. Change the world.” That is what Sarah Hale did, and because she did, we celebrate Thanksgiving every year. It took this strong, dynamic woman over 38 years to get an American president to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. This is the remarkable story of how she did it.

Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson. Illustrated by Jane Chapman.
© 2012, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. Ages 3-6.

When all Bear’s friends come to visit and share foods they have gathered in the forest, bear feels sad that he has nothing to offer. Bear’s cupboard is bare! All the thanks in the world will not feed his friends. But they quickly point out that Bear has something better than food to offer—he has a warm cave and plenty of stories, for which they all say, “Thanks!”

Rivka’s First Thanksgiving by Elsa Okon Rael. Illustrated by Maryann Kovalski.
© 2001, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Ages 4-8.

I will admit that I put this title in every article I write about Thanksgiving. It is my all-time favorite Jewish Thanksgiving story, but it is currently out of print (which only means you have to get it at a library or through a used book vendor). I love it, because the title character, Rivka, “speaks truth to power,” telling her Rebbe that he is wrong to tell his community not celebrate Thanksgiving in America and giving him the reasons. If we all had Rivka’s courage, I can only image what the world would be like today.

Happy Reading!