Hanukah (or Chanukah) is a Jewish holiday falling within the month of December.  Because the date is based on the Hebrew calendar, it falls at a different time every year.  Hanukah commemorates the Jews rededication their temple in 165 B.C. having defeated the Syrians and Greeks who had taken over the temple and used it to worship Zeus.  It took three years of battle for the Maccabees (Hebrew for "hammer") to defeat the Assyrians.

When Judah Maccabee and his army finally retook the temple, it had been heavily damaged and was missing important ceremonial objects, such as the golden menorah, (a seven branch candelabra).  Upon completion of the restoration, Judah and his people wanted to have a celebration, but could find only a small amount of oil for the lamps.  After filling and lighting the lamps, the oil miraculously lasted for eight days.

Because of this miracle, the Jewish people observe Hanukkah with a ceremonial lighting of the candles in a special menorah, lighting one candle for every night of the holiday until the last night, when all eight candles are lit.

Hanukkah collectibles include menorahs, which have been made of everything from precious metal and gems, to papier mache to old mah jong tiles.  Decorative motifs typically found on menorahs include flowers, leaves, the lions of Judah, and the Star of David.

Dreidels are also popular Hanukkah collectibles.  These spinning toys are similar to tops, and are used in a game played for pennies or chocolate coins called gelt.  These four sided tops have the Hebrew letters nun, gimmel, hay, and shin, one per side, and players win or lose based upon which side is up when the dreidel ends its spin.  A gimmel wins the entire pot, a hay takes half, a nun gets none, and a shin means the player must put a coin into the pot.  These letters stand for the Hebrew phrase Ness Gadol Hayah Shem, which means, "A Great Miracle Happened There."  Its interesting to note that in Israel, the phrase is "A Great Miracle Happened Here."  Collectors look for dreidels of pottery, silver, pewter wood, or glass.

Other Hanukkah collectibles include figures by companies such as Lladro, a doll by Madame Alexander, and Hanukkah teddy bears by Gund, books, dinnerware, jewelry and art.  Prominent colors of Hanukkah collectibles are blue and white, the colors of the Israeli flag.