Editorial gift guide
Hanukkah gifts for your mother-in-law
16 considered picks
Hanukkah is the eight-night Festival of Lights, marked by lighting the hanukkiah, eating foods fried in oil like latkes and sufganiyot, playing dreidel, and spending time with family. Gift-giving is part of it in many households, though customs differ a lot. If you married into a family that observes, the most thoughtful approach is to learn how they celebrate and choose something that fits. These sixteen picks cover candles and menorahs, cookbooks, kitchen tools for holiday frying, and games for when the family is together.
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Our curated picks
No. 01$10 to $50
Product image available on Amazon.
Rite Lite
Rite Lite Hanukkah Candles, Blue and White, 45 Count
Fit A 45-candle box covers all eight nights of Hanukkah, which take 44 candles including the shamash each night, with one spare.
Typical budget: $10 to $50
Consider: Standard-size candles fit most candle menorahs but not oil menorahs or ones with oversized cups; check her menorah first.
Discovery: Rite Lite Hanukkah candles product page
No. 02$10 to $50
Product image available on Amazon.
Yair Emanuel
Yair Emanuel Modern Tree of Life Hanukkah Menorah
Fit A contemporary aluminum hanukkiah made in Israel that fits standard Hanukkah candles, a good extra menorah for a grandchild or guest to light.
Typical budget: $10 to $50
Consider: Many families already have a cherished menorah; offer this as an additional one rather than a replacement, and ask before assuming.
Discovery: Yair Emanuel official site
No. 03$50 to $200
Product image available on Amazon.
Nambe
Nambe Classic Menorah
Fit A polished metal-alloy menorah with a clean, modern line, for someone who likes simple design pieces that stay out after the holiday.
Typical budget: $50 to $200
Consider: Like any menorah gift, it should complement rather than replace one with family history, and her style should lean modern.
Discovery: Nambe Classic Menorah product page
No. 04$10 to $50
Product image available on Amazon.
Rux Martin / HarperCollins
Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking by Michael Solomonov
Fit An in-depth Israeli restaurant cookbook with stories, salatim, and project recipes for an ambitious home cook.
Typical budget: $10 to $50
Consider: Some recipes are long projects with specialty ingredients, so it suits someone who enjoys weekend cooking.
Discovery: HarperCollins Zahav cookbook page
No. 05$10 to $50
Product image available on Amazon.
Jake Cohen
Jew-Ish: A Cookbook by Jake Cohen
Fit A modern Jewish home-cooking book with holiday and everyday recipes for someone who likes cooking for family and friends.
Typical budget: $10 to $50
Consider: It is a cookbook, so it fits someone who already enjoys cooking; recipes are not all kosher-style, so consider her household practice.
Discovery: HarperCollins Jew-Ish book page
No. 06$10 to $50
Product image available on Amazon.
Knopf
The Book of Jewish Food: An Odyssey from Samarkand to New York
Fit Claudia Roden’s reference cookbook pairs Ashkenazi and Sephardi recipes with the history of the communities that cooked them.
Typical budget: $10 to $50
Consider: It is a long, dense hardcover; someone who wants quick weeknight recipes may find it more of a reading book than a kitchen workhorse.
Discovery: Penguin Random House The Book of Jewish Food page
No. 07Under $10
Product image available on Amazon.
The Dreidel Company
The Dreidel Company Let’s Play Dreidel Game, 4 Wooden Dreidels
Fit Four natural wooden dreidels with instructions, enough for a family round on any of the eight nights.
Typical budget: Under $10
Consider: It is a small add-on rather than a standalone gift, and you will want gelt, coins, or another token to play for.
Discovery: The Dreidel Company brand site
No. 08$10 to $50
Product image available on Amazon.
Lodge
Lodge Chef Collection 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet
Fit A lighter-weight, pre-seasoned cast-iron skillet with sloped sides, good for shallow-frying and searing.
Typical budget: $10 to $50
Consider: Cast iron needs hand-washing and occasional re-seasoning, and it is still heavier than nonstick.
Discovery: Lodge Chef Collection 10-inch skillet product page
No. 09$10 to $50
Product image available on Amazon.
OXO
OXO Good Grips 4-Sided Box Grater with Container
Fit A stable four-sided grater with a catch container, handy for shredding potatoes for latkes and everyday cheese or vegetables.
Typical budget: $10 to $50
Consider: It is a practical kitchen tool rather than a showpiece; pair it with something personal if she would not want a utilitarian gift.
Discovery: OXO Good Grips Box Grater product page
No. 10$10 to $50
Product image available on Amazon.
Harney & Sons
Harney & Sons Teal Tea Chest, 32 Sachets
Fit A fabric-covered chest of 32 wrapped tea sachets in eight flavors that stays useful as tea storage after the tea is gone.
Typical budget: $10 to $50
Consider: Some blends contain caffeine; for evening drinkers, look for an herbal assortment instead.
Discovery: Harney & Sons tea chest product page
No. 11$10 to $50
Product image available on Amazon.
Nordic Ware
Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet Set with Lid
Fit Two USA-made aluminum half-sheet pans plus a lid, practical for roasting, oven-finishing, and carrying a tray of food to a family gathering.
Typical budget: $10 to $50
Consider: This is a workhorse pan rather than a showpiece; it fits a frequent cook whose current sheet pans are warped or worn.
Discovery: Nordic Ware half sheet with lid product page
No. 12$10 to $50
Product image available on Amazon.
Microplane
Microplane Premium Classic Zester, Black
Fit A fine rasp grater for citrus zest, hard cheese, nutmeg, and ginger that earns a permanent place in a cook's drawer.
Typical budget: $10 to $50
Consider: It is an inexpensive tool many cooks already own, so it works best as part of a larger gift or for someone whose old grater has dulled.
Discovery: Microplane Premium Classic zester product page
No. 13$10 to $50
Product image available on Amazon.
Bananagrams
Bananagrams Classic Word Game
Fit A fast, portable tile word game for one to eight players that fits easily into a small nightly gift and works across ages.
Typical budget: $10 to $50
Consider: It suits people who enjoy word games; it is less fun for anyone who dislikes speed-based play.
Discovery: Bananagrams official page
No. 14$10 to $50
Product image available on Amazon.
MindWare
MindWare Qwirkle with Trays
Fit A matching game with 108 wooden tiles and four storage trays that is easy to learn and works across generations.
Typical budget: $10 to $50
Consider: It plays two to four people, so it suits a household with regular visitors or a partner who enjoys games.
Discovery: MindWare official site
No. 15$50 to $200
Product image available on Amazon.
Aura
Aura Carver 10-inch Digital Photo Frame, Black
Fit A Wi-Fi photo frame that family members can add pictures to from their phones, so recent photos of kids and relatives appear without printing.
Typical budget: $50 to $200
Consider: It needs Wi-Fi and the Aura app; ask whether she wants a rotating display of family photos in a shared room.
Discovery: Aura Carver frame product page
No. 16$10 to $50
Product image available on Amazon.
BOSKA
BOSKA Large Slate Serving Platter
Fit A dark slate board with non-slip feet for cheese, bread, or desserts, neutral enough to suit almost any table.
Typical budget: $10 to $50
Consider: Slate is heavier and more brittle than wood, so it is best for someone with storage space who does not mind handling it with care.
Discovery: BOSKA slate serving board product page
How we selected these gifts
Selection rationale
The selection follows what actually happens over the holiday: lighting candles each night, cooking fried foods, sitting down with guests, and playing dreidel with children. It includes a 45-candle box with enough for all eight nights plus the shamash, two menorahs for different tastes, three Jewish cookbooks with different approaches, a skillet and graters suited to latkes, and small games. Each item is verified and tagged for Hanukkah.
Why this guide is separate
A Hanukkah guide should not be a repackaged December list. The holiday has its own practices, foods, and gift customs, and those vary across households. A son- or daughter-in-law may also be learning them. This page explains which items fit which practice and treats the observance itself with care.
Choosing well
Ask how her family observes before you buy
Observance varies a lot. Some families give small gifts each night, some give one gift, some focus on the children, and some do not exchange gifts much at all. Ask your partner what is normal. They can also tell you whether her menorah takes standard candles, whether she keeps kosher (which affects cookware and food gifts), and whether Hebrew-lettered Judaica is welcome. Getting these details right matters more than the price.
Candles, menorahs, and what they mean in practice
Each night adds a candle, plus the shamash used to light the others, so a full holiday uses 44 candles. A 45-count box covers all eight nights with one spare. In many families each person, including children, lights their own hanukkiah, so an extra menorah for a grandchild or guest is a practical gift. Do not offer one as a replacement for a menorah with family history. Set it next to hers, not in place of it.
Food is central, so think about the cook
Oil is part of the story, so latkes, sufganiyot, and other fried foods are common. If she cooks for the holiday, a cast-iron skillet for frying, a box grater for potatoes, or a sheet pan for keeping latkes warm in the oven can help. A cookbook like Zahav, Jew-ish, or Claudia Roden's The Book of Jewish Food suits someone who likes to read about food too. Check with your partner first, because kashrut and family recipes can make some cooking gifts a poor fit.
Editorial standards
We rank products for their fit with this guide, practical usefulness, and the trade-offs a shopper should know before deciding.
Reviewed by WhatShouldIBuy.my Editorial on .