Entertainment
Christmas specials are everywhere this time of year, but as you're flipping through the channels, you might find yourself hard pressed to find Hanukkah TV episodes to watch with your fellow chosen people. Come December you can easily spot Christmas trees, Santas, and red-nosed reindeers on every channel. But trying to find a dreidel, menorah, or yarmulke as you clean out your DVR or scroll through Netflix is like searching for water in the desert — you’ll quickly discover there’s a notable lack of Jewish representation on TV.
But fear not my Jewish friends. Though they are few and far between, there are some shows, that give their characters the chance to light the menorah for eight nights and honor their ancestors’ escape . Among all of the Christmas episodes airing, there are a few Hanukkah TV specials you can enjoy as well. Yes, you can finally listen to your favorite characters recount the meaning of Hanukkah, and remember why you love this holiday so much. If you want to watch a Hanukkah episode this year (and even make a part of your family tradition), here are eight amazing Hanukkah TV episode you can stream — one for each night of the Festival of Lights.
1
"The 8 Defensive Points Of Hanukkah" — 'The League
You don't have to be a huge football fan to appreciate the humor in The League's tribute to Hanukkah.
2
"Heck Of A Hanukkah" — 'Even Stevens'
Anyone who was ever a curious child can relate to Louis' quest to find his presents leading up to Hanukkah. But when his quest lands him in trouble, he contemplates whether his family would be better off if he were never born. Sound familiar?
3
"The Best Chrismukkah Ever" — The O.C.
The O.C. created what is probably the best term for anyone growing up in a multi-faith family: Chrismukkah. Thanks to this teen-angst-filled series, children of Catholics and Jews now have a name for thier unusual holiday celebrations.
4
"The Night Hanukkah Harry Saved Christmas" — 'SNL'
Who needs Santa Claus when you have Hanukkah Harry? And forget Rudolph, he's got donkeys Moische, Herschel and Schlomo. And even in the midst of an SNL sketch, Hanukkah Harry is able to get across an important message of the season, that "Christians and Jews...are pretty much the same."
5
"The Hanukkah Story" — 'The Nanny'
It's about time we saw a Hanukkah miracle on TV, which is exactly what The Nanny gives us. The series cleverly translates the miracle of Hanukkah into a modern day situation, with their car oil lasting eight hours instead of one. (See what they did there?)
6
"The One With The Holiday Armadillo" — 'Friends'
Well, this episode isn't technically a Hanukkah special, but it does show the importance of teaching kids about Hanukkah as well as Christmas. And it features Ross in a giant armadillo costume, so you can't really beat that.
7
"A Rugrats Chanukah" — 'The Rugrats'
It's fun to watch all of the baby's adventures throughout the series, and their re-imagining of themselves in the story of Hanukkah is no exception. With both the meaning of Hanukkah and the "Meanie of Hanukkah," this cartoon has pretty much everything a holiday special should.
8
'Eight Crazy Nights'
This isn't technically a TV episode, but it is hands down the best Hanukkah special out there. A musical cartoon, this Festival of Lights movie is everything a good holiday cartoon should be — and, even better, it's written by and stars Adam Sandler. Beat that, Christmas movies!
Images: Nickelodeon; FX Company; Brookwell-McNamara Entertainment; Warner Brothers Entertainment (2); NBC Universal; CBS; Nickelodeon; Sony Pictures Entertainment
