Hanukkah parties are the perfect opportunity to honor the holiday and celebrate with loved ones. It’s a time to be together with friends and family as you enjoy delicious food and drink and light the menorah.

Whether you’re hosting your first Hanukkah party or want some tips to refresh your yearly get-together, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of our best Hanukkah party ideas.

Our Favorite Hanukkah Party Ideas

To help you celebrate the holiday in style, we’ve gathered some of our favorite Hanukkah party ideas. We have tips on everything from how to create a warm atmosphere to creative Hanukkah food ideas. Add in a few of your own ideas, and you’ll have all you need to create a joyful and welcoming Hanukkah party.

1. Use Lighting to Create a Cozy Atmosphere

What better way to celebrate the Festival of Lights than with a warm, light-filled party space? Use lighting to transform your home or party venue and create a special atmosphere.

Mix traditional candles and warm fairy string lights to make the space feel cozy and comfortable. If you’re looking for something brighter or more colorful, try swapping some of your usual bulbs for color-changing LED ones. This will help you create a fun party atmosphere, and you can change colors or dim the lighting throughout the event.

2. Cook Latkes Together

Potato latkes are a much-loved Hanukkah party tradition, but they usually taste best when prepared fresh. To help make things easier for you in the kitchen, gather loved ones to help you make these tasty potato pancakes. Add some extra fun with a lively latke cook-off to see who can make the best version.

When everyone’s ready to eat, set up a latke station full of tasty warm and cold toppings so your guests can get creative with their homemade latkes.

3. Host a Themed Games Night

Design: Laura Bolter Design

Bring your guests together and add some playful competition with a themed games night. Mix Hanukkah classics with modern favorites as your guests enjoy the good food, drink, and company.

Put a new twist on the classic game of dreidel by using homemade chocolate gelt (chocolate coins) instead of pennies. Or, turn it into a drinking game for an adults-only event. Add favorite board games or video games to create a celebration full of fun, laughter, and conversation.

4. Set up a Craft Corner

This Jewish holiday has strong imagery, like the menorah and dreidel, that can be turned into beautiful, arts and crafts projects. Create a craft corner at your party to give your guests space to unwind and use their imagination. This is a perfect way to keep children entertained, but it’s fun for adults too.

Take inspiration from these Hanukkah craft ideas to set up your own crafting station. Gather all your art and craft supplies and ask friends and family to bring theirs along as well. Print instructions for more challenging crafts, or encourage people to get creative. Add a new challenge by awarding a prize for the most unique craft, or encourage guests to make homemade gifts to swap with others at the end of the night.

5. Test Your Hanukkah Knowledge With a Quiz

Gather your guests, and find out just how much you know about the holiday with a fun Hanukkah quiz. Dive into some research and find plenty of quirky questions to ask your guests, or use this ready-made Hanukkah quiz to keep things simple. Split your guests into teams and award a prize to the winners.

6. Create a Donut Wall and Toppings Station

Sufganiyot (jelly donuts) remains a favorite at Hanukkah parties, but this is a modern take on the classic treat. Make them a feature with a donut wall, and offer plenty of toppings so your guests can create their own flavors.

If you’re using ring donuts, hang them on a DIY donut wall. For traditional jelly donuts, stack them in a tower or pyramid shape instead. Decorate a table, and fill it with sweet toppings like chocolate sauce, applesauce, colored icing, sprinkles, cinnamon sugar, and more.

7. Host a Potluck Buffet

Hosting a party can involve a lot of cooking — Hanukkah celebrations especially come with plenty of delicious foods. Make things easier and embrace a warm community spirit by asking loved ones to bring a dish for a potluck-style buffet.

Create a master list of all the tasty Hanukkah food you can think of. You can then share this with friends and family and work together to create a buffet of dreams. To keep things simple, you can provide the main dishes while your guests bring their favorite starter, side, or dessert. Send your digital invitations through a service like Greenvelope to communicate with guests about what they’ll bring.

8. Add Colorful Room and Table Decorations

Bring your party venue to life with colorful, seasonal Hanukkah decorations for your room and tablescapes. Whether you decide to stick with traditional colors or add bold, bright alternatives, there are plenty of ways to decorate for your holiday party.

If you’re crafty, make some of these crochet Hanukkah decorations in the days and weeks before the party. You can also find lots of great decorations on marketplaces like Etsy. Mix natural materials like wood with colorful yarn or ribbon for a warm, modern take on Hanukkah decor. Add some candles for centerpieces, and you’ll have a party space with plenty of atmosphere.

9. Bake and Decorate Hanukkah Themed Cookies

Design: Mint Parcel

Everyone loves a sugar cookie, and it’s even better if they’re homemade. Use your Hanukkah party as the perfect opportunity to practice your baking skills and make themed cookies. Take inspiration from symbols like the Star of David, dreidel, and menorah. Use your favorite cookie cutters, or create your own designs using a butter knife.

To make things even more fun, leave your sugar cookies plain and set up a cookie decorating station. Leave out plenty of icing options and toppings like sprinkles, candy, and chocolate for your guests to decorate their cookies with. If you have space, you could even ask your younger guests to help bake cookies.

10. Host a Hanukkah Gift Swap

The holidays are all about celebrating together, and a gift swap is a lovely way to give and share with people we love. When you play host to a gift swap at your Hanukkah party, your guests leave with a reminder of the celebration.

Set a small monetary limit for your gift swap, or encourage people to bring a handmade gift. Include any guidelines with your Hanukkah party invitations so your guests have plenty of time to prepare. Liven things up with a theme, or niche down to a Hanukkah-themed gift idea like candles. Encourage guests to get creative with their wrapping, or place unwrapped gifts in a “lucky dip” bag. Exchange gifts before you leave to end the celebration on a high note.

Host a Memorable Hanukkah Party in Style

Playing host to a Hanukkah party is a rewarding way to mark the holiday with friends, family, and loved ones. Mix old traditions with new favorites, and add plenty of Hanukkah food to create a celebration that brings people together.

With these tips and your creative flair, you’ll soon have plans in place for a memorable Hanukkah party. Start planning your Hanukkah party and spread the word with fun, customizable digital invitations.