Invited over to light candles, eat latkes or spin a dreidel? A living plant is a host gift that keeps going long after the last candle. Here are eight gift ideas that fit the holiday's themes of light, oil and blue and white, led by the olive tree, with pet safety for every one. Plants have no special role in Hanukkah itself, so think of these as thoughtful gifts that suit the season.
Eight plants for eight nights. Use the filters to find one that's safe for pets, already in bloom in December or easy for a beginner.
Olea europaea
The oil in the Hanukkah story was olive oil, and Chabad and the OU say olive oil is still the preferred fuel for menorah lights. A small tree with silver-backed leaves, for a host with a very sunny window and a cool spot in winter.
Phalaenopsis
White is one of its most common colors, and the flowers can last four months or more. Skip the blue ones: moth orchids don't come in blue, so those flowers are dyed.
Cyclamen persicum
A winter bloomer sold from October through March, in white among other colors. It likes a cool room, and it's toxic to pets, the tuber most of all.
Narcissus papyraceus (often listed as N. tazetta)
Clusters of fragrant white flowers about 4 to 6 weeks after planting, with no cold period needed. Give one already in bud, since a bulb planted now may open late. Toxic to pets, the bulbs most of all.
Hippeastrum hybrids (sold as amaryllis)
Big, pure white flowers on a tall stem. A bulb takes about 4 to 8 weeks to bloom after potting, so start early or pick one that is already budding. Toxic to pets, the bulb most of all.
Streptocarpus ionanthus
One of only two plants here with truly blue flowers, and it comes in white too. On a bright windowsill it blooms almost all year, and it is safe for cats and dogs.
Salvia rosmarinus
Many plants have small blue flowers, though sources disagree on when they open, so don't count on December. A Mediterranean herb, like the olive, for a sunny kitchen window, and safe for cats and dogs.
Spathiphyllum
White, sail-like flowers on a plant that handles lower light than most. It's toxic to pets, even though it isn't a true lily, so it suits a home without cats or dogs.
A few tips that work for any of them:
Here's what the Jewish educational sources say about gifts and the holiday:
So the honest answer is that there's no single rule. When in doubt, ask the host what would help. A plant with its care card is a safe bet, since it asks nothing of the evening and keeps going after it.
Why it fits. Jewish tradition tells that when the Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated in the second century BCE, a small amount of oil, enough for one day, burned for eight. ReformJudaism.org and My Jewish Learning note the story comes from the Talmud, written centuries later. Chabad.org tells it with a single cruse of olive oil, and Chabad.org and the OU say pure olive oil is still the preferred fuel for menorah lights, because it recalls the Temple's menorah. That's a lot of history for one small tree to carry, and it carries it well.
How to keep it happy. Our olive tree care card has the details. The short version:
Shopping tip: the "sweet olive" (Osmanthus) is another different plant. Check the tag for Olea europaea.
| Plant | Cats and dogs (ASPCA) | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Olive tree | Not rated | No trusted source rates it. Keep it out of reach of pets that chew plants |
| Moth orchid | Safe | Applies to Phalaenopsis; check any other orchid on its own |
| African violet | Safe | Blooms almost all year on a bright windowsill |
| Rosemary | Safe | A kitchen herb |
| Cyclamen | Toxic | The tuber is the most toxic part |
| Paperwhite | Toxic | The bulbs are the most toxic part |
| Amaryllis | Toxic | The bulb is the most toxic part |
| Peace lily | Toxic | It isn't a true lily, and it's still toxic to pets |
Even a safe plant can upset a pet's stomach if it eats a lot. For more on holiday plants and pets, see our guide to holiday plants and pets.
About blue and white. Chabad.org says blue and white are popular for Hanukkah probably because they are Israel's colors, and My Jewish Learning calls them colors associated with Judaism and the State of Israel. Neither is a religious rule, so a host will be just as happy with a red amaryllis. Still, if you'd like to match the table, here's what's truly out there:
What about blue orchids? Colorado State University Extension says moth orchids come in every color except blue and true red. A bright blue orchid in a shop has been dyed. Pick a white one and put it in a blue pot, like the one in our photo.
Those dates come from Hebcal, Chabad.org and My Jewish Learning, which agree. Each night one more light is added, from one on the first night to eight on the eighth, plus the shamash, the helper candle that lights the others (Chabad.org, the OU).
If you want bulbs in bloom. An amaryllis usually blooms about 4 to 8 weeks after potting, and paperwhites about 4 to 6 weeks after planting, per the extension sources on our amaryllis and paperwhite cards. Start them early, or buy one that's already budding.
Many do, and it's a newer custom. My Jewish Learning and ReformJudaism.org say the older tradition is gelt, small gifts of money, and My Jewish Learning traces how presents became common in the United States over the last century or so. Chabad.org notes that gifts aren't a religious obligation.
Customs differ, so there's no single right answer. Chabad.org says that in some communities a guest may be expected to bring a gift. A plant with its care card is a gift that lasts well past the party; see the eight ideas above.
No. Colorado State University Extension says moth orchids come in every color except blue and true red, so a blue one has been dyed. For a blue and white gift, choose a white orchid in a blue pot.
We can't say. The ASPCA doesn't list the olive tree, and NC State gives no toxicity information, so we don't call it safe or toxic. Keep it out of reach of pets that chew plants.
Yes, in a pot, if it gets your sunniest window and a cool spot in winter. NC State and the New York Botanical Garden describe moving potted olives indoors for the cold months, and the RHS suggests a sunny spot outside in summer. See the olive tree care card.