Text

“Hanukkah Harry”

Context

The informant was always really sad because she felt that she missed out on Santa and Christmas traditions. She wanted to experience the joys of Christmas and the excitement her friends got from when Santa would visit their homes. Her parents were big on tradition and holiday spirit so they introduced Hanukkah Harry. Every year they bake hamantaschen and challah bread, and they lay both out for Hanukkah Harry along with letters. According to her parents, Hanukkah Harry comes and lights all the menorahs in the house. The next evening when it’s the first night of Hanukkah he would write notes to her and her brother along with giving them a dreidel, similarly to Santa giving presents.

Analysis

Hearing this folk narrative was interesting to me because I am Catholic so it sounded similar to the idea of Santa. She was able to have a better experience on the holiday because of Hanukkah Harry, being able to relate to more people about her experience, and not feel as if she was missing out. It’s a contemporary legend due to the fact that it was introduced through Irv Korman’s book along with SNL back in the late 1980s. I truly think having these legends makes celebrating the holiday when younger more eventful and spiritual, this legend helps to feed into the Hanukkah spirit and joy