Oooh. I've never used an oil chanukiyyah; only the kind with candles. Where did it come from?

I got mine from my local supermarket, but you can get one here - scroll down to #4. That's what we use - the Safe-T Oil Menorah. The big trick is to use floating wicks and to not put in more than 1/2 inch of oil. Fill the rest with water. Put in more erev Shabbat, of course, so it burns for at least an hour after full dark.

Also, if your own chanukiah has big enough holders, you can buy oil cups and wicks *or* prefilled oil candles. These days, a lot of chanukiyot seem designed to hold either cups or the oil candles. We like the Safe-T one, though, because the oil cups are like little shot glasses (which can also be used as a chanukiyah - line them up with a new one each night and the shamash in a candle stick.) and are therefore more stable than the little oil cups balancing on stems.

<peeve> Gelt means money. Not chocolate. If you mean chocolate coins, then say so. I mean, if I said I was going to give you some money, you'd expect USA currency, wouldn't you? If I meant chocolate coins you'd expect me to say so. So why should gelt be any different? Especially since giving money is a genuine chanukah tradition, while there is no tradition for either chocolate or gifts. Thank you for listening, I'll go away now. </peeve>

This is true, but I love excuses to give people things, especially chocolate things. :)

Well, I get $2 notes from the bank, and give those out as chanukah gelt.

Gelt is Yiddish for money. No question.

Gelt is English for foil covered chocolate coins given out on Chanukah. The two words have identical roots, of course, but the meaning is clear because you understood it.

On the other hand, I do agree with you about gifts for Chanukah. If I could, I'd not give anything at all (the gelt is to encourage learning, I believe.) However, I married into a family that does give gifts for Chanukah - to the children pre-high school and immediate relatives. This is why Jonathan buys most of the gifts.

I understood it because bringing a box of money in to work didn't sound right. And because I've come across this ussage before, as in "would you like money or gelt?". I don't know about it being to encourage learning; at least, it was never tied to learning in my family. Cf the Chinese custom of giving children money at the New Year.

A good board book (or three) is good for a 15-month old. It may not be available as a board book, but I *thoroughly* recommend the picture-book version of Herschel and the Hanukkah Goblins.

For Jonathan... hmm. Is there a sefer that he's been wishing he could have for study purposes?

I second Tigerbright's suggestion for a board book. I like the Sandra Boynton ones, with Barnyard Dance being a particular favorite, but all of them are pretty good. In a similar vein, Philadelphia Chickens is pretty awesome, though not a board book, but a book and CD of silly songs (written by Boynton but sung by a variety of people).

I third the board book idea and second Boynton - a friend recommended But Not the Hippopotamus and after that was enthusiastically received by both kid and adults*, my nephews have ended up with every Boynton I've found plus some from other people.

*It's a good book for the stage when kid wants the same book read again and again and again and... and the adult has to do at least 3-5 rounds before another book or something else can be substituted.

You have done a good deed by including the link to the Flashing Blinky Lights site. grifyn's day has been made.

That makes me very happy to hear. Thank you. He should enjoy it.

And there you are wearing your candles again. :)

Today I'm actually wearing a headband with artificial holly, jingle-bells, and ribbons to work, for the party. Last year more than a few people made Santa Lucia comments about it.

Currently, grifyn is looking at the blinking pens. She is scheming madly, and amusing her entire friends list.