The Ultimate Guide to Hosting the Best Hanukkah Party in Houston

Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights, when we celebrate resilience, identity, tradition, and modern community. This holiday’s themes of light, miracles, and sharing make the eight nights a great bridge for friends of all backgrounds.

Whether you’re lighting your first menorah or hosting your tenth annual latke-eating contest (hopefully with Tums nearby), here’s your guide to throwing the ultimate festive, fun, and meaningful Hanukkah bash in Houston.

Set the Mood: Lights & Decor

Make the hanukkiah the centerpiece

The lighting of the hanukkiah (a nine-candle menorah) is the heart of Hanukkah. It’s traditional to light the hanukkiah somewhere it can be seen from outside as a public proclamation of the miracle, such as a window sill. We light a candle for each night using the shamash (the helper candle).

Traditional doesn't mean boring though! Some tips to get the celebration going are: 

• Have each guest bring a hanukkiah (doesn't have to be anything fancy!)
• DIY your hanukkiah out of anything. The key is to have a base with nine distinct spots for candles or candle holders, with one spot being higher than the others for the shamash.
• Thrift a new hanukkah & have multiple hannukiahs lit at once.

PRO TIP: Invite guests to share one word they associate with “light” this year.

Add extra lighting & decor

Beyond the hanukkiah, string fairy lights, use candles on the dinner table, or float tea lights. For a more playful atmosphere, you could throw in disco ball lights or blue and white decorations.

Style the table

Think of your table as more than a meal, make it festive! Use a tablecloth or runner; add candles, gelt, dreidels, small wrapped “gifts,” or other Hanukkah trinkets.

PRO TIP: You can even DIY snow-globe centerpieces, hanukkiah-shaped napkin rings, or using recycled items to create a cozy atmosphere. Who doesn't love a festive craft night?

Your Hanukkah playlist

Get the immaculate Maccabee vibes going with a playlist. You can either create your own mix of Hanukkah hits by adding in songs about light, oil, and miracles.

If you prefer to not construct a playlist from scratch, you can find a playlist on Spotify with great Hanukkah hits. Here are some of our favorites:

• Family Hanukkah Party
• Puppy For Hanukkah & Ma'oz Tzur ‍
• Actually Good Hanukkah Songs
• Hanukkah

Eat, Sip & Share

What would a Jewish celebration be without food?!

Sweet & Savory Fried Foods‍

Indulge in fried foods! This tradition stems from the holiday’s theme: celebrating the miracle of oil lasting for eight nights. You can cook a meal, host a potluck, or bring your friends together for a cooking party! 

Here are some of our menu recommendations:

• Latke bar: potatoes (classic), or creative spins.
  
  • Offer toppings: sour cream, applesauce, smoked salmon, avocado, flavored creams, BBQ sauce, etc. The more options, the merrier
    
  • Try veggie latkes, gluten-free substitutions, or mix in dishes from different cuisines while holding onto Hanukkah’s fried-food tradition
  • Try making latke tacos: Use latkes as a base for pulled brisket or other fillings.
• Jelly-filled doughnuts (sufganiyot)
• Chocolate gelt, because let's be honest, who doesn't like chocolate money
• Sugar cookie decorating ‍‍
• Crispy Bites: Halloumi fries with za'atar or fried artichokes.

Some international favorites:

• Frittelle di Chanukah (Italian Fritters): Spiced, honey-glazed fried dough from Italy, sometimes diamond-shaped.
• Gulab Jamun/Kala Jamun (Indian): Fried milk-based dough balls soaked in rose or saffron syrup.
• Loukoumades (Greek Doughnuts): Crispy Greek doughnuts drenched in honey syrup.
• Atayef (Syrian/Middle Eastern): Pancake-like dumplings filled with cheese or nuts, fried and soaked in syrup.
• Papanasi (Romanian/Eastern European): Cheese-filled doughnut balls topped with jam and sour cream.
• Mafleta (Moroccan): A thin, crepe-like pastry fried and served with honey or syrup.

Party Activities & Games

Whether you’re hosting something big and buzzy or small and cozy, these activities help break the ice, spark conversation, and keep the night feeling festive. Mix and match depending on your crowd.

Dreidel Tournament

A classic for a reason. Use chocolate gelt, wrapped candy, and fun prizes like choosing the next song. You can keep it casual or turn it into a mini bracket for bragging rights.

To make sure everyone's on the same page, here are Dreidel game play rules.

Latke Topping Bar Challenge

Latke are essential, but toppings are where creativity shines. Set up ingredinets for both classic toppings (sour cream, applesauce) and unexpected creative options (hot honey, smoked salmon, avocado spread, herbed yogurt).

Have guests vote for “Best Classic,” “Most Creative,” and “Wild Card Winner.”

Gelt Swap or Mini Gift Grab

Instead of formal gift exchanges, place small wrapped items, chocolate gelt, or notes with prompts (“tell a funny Jewish camp story,” “pick the next drink”) in a bowl. Each guest draws one.

It’s fun, low-pressure, and avoids awkward gift expectations.

Short & Playful Hanukkah Trivia

Keep trivia quick and conversational rather than competitive. A few fun questions sprinkled throughout the night works better than a long quiz.

Sample categories:

• Hanukkah history & symbols
• Jewish pop culture
• “True or False: Hanukkah Edition”
• Jewish Celebs

Hanukkah Karaoke

Music sets the tone. Mix traditional Hanukkah songs with modern Jewish artists and feel-good crowd favorites. Bonus points if someone breaks out I Have a Little Dreidel ironically at least once.

Reflection Cards or Intention Wall

Hanukkah is about bringing light into dark places. Set out cards or sticky notes where guests can respond to prompts like:

• “One thing that brought me light this year…”
• “Something I’m hoping for in the year ahead…”

This is meaningful, surprisingly powerful, and inspires connection.

Cookie Decorating or DIY Station

These activities give people something to do with their hands and makes the party feel interactive.

Here are some DIY crafts we love:‍

• Hanukkah Cookie Decorating: Provide the cookie base with some frosting, sprinkles, and other ways to decorate.
• Dreidel Garland: Cut dreidels from paper or foam and string them on ribbon, adding letters.
• Painted Dreidels: Decorate watercolor dreidels with colorful patterns.
• Star Suncatchers: Create Star of David shapes with paper or tissue for windows.
• Quick-Dry Clay Menorah: Mold a menorah to your liking and decorate
• Foil Menorahs: Gather foil to create 9 candle holders
• "Be a Shamash" Craft: Write acts of kindness on candle cutouts to add to a paper menorah daily.

Ugly Hanukkah Sweater Competition

Break out those blue and white Hanukkah sweaters (you know the ones with tinsel), pom poms, and bad puns. And see who has the ugliest seasonal sweater!

The most important part of hosting the best Hanukkah party?

Don’t stress perfection. The beauty of Hanukkah is that there’s no one right way to do it. Some people do a full traditional night; others keep it casual with friends, music, food, and laughs. The holiday belongs to all who want to bring in light.

At the end of the day, the ultimate Hanukkah party is about creating light, warmth, and connection. If you bring a hanukkiah (real or symbolic), some fried food, good friends, and a welcoming spirit, you’ve already succeeded.

May your hanukkiah shine bright, your latkes be crispy, and your party be full of laughter.

Chag Sameach.

Hosting? Attending?

Whether you're hosting or looking for a party to attend, there's a place for you in Houston. Be sure to checkout our calendar of events for all upcoming festivities.

Pro Tip: Addresses and registration links are available through each organization’s website or by creating a free Hey Houston account.

Ready to find your place?

• Create your Hey Houston account to access addresses and links.
• Invite a friend to come along.
• Mark your calendar early so you don’t miss out.

If you know of an organization (or lead one!) that’s hosting a young Jewish adult Hanukkah celebration in Houston, let us know or submit to our calendar events at heyhouston.com/promote