For the first time since 1888, Thanksgiving and the first day of Hanukkah will coincide on Nov. 28, 2013. This first occurred when Thanksgiving was declared a federal holiday. While the date change is minor, it leaves Jewish students here at Hockaday with changed plans, breaks in tradition and even somewhat nonchalant feelings.

Normal Hanukkah traditions for girls at Hockaday include lighting the menorah, saying prayers each night and eating traditional Hanukkah foods like Latkas.

However, Jewish junior Ariella Stromberg says that now that Thanksgiving is falling on the same day, her family will try mixing the two celebrations.

“Both Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are really good food holidays,” Stromberg said. “[My family and I] will probably just mix the two foods together, latkas and turkey.”

Jewish junior Same Goetz will follow in Stromberg’s footsteps by combining the two holidays’ traditions, but will instead eat her Thanksgiving and Hanukkah meals at different times during the day. However, despite the food change, Goetz does not believe that much of her Thanksgiving or Hanukkah holidays will be different.

“Thanksgiving will definitely take precedence, but I’m not putting my religion second,” Goetz said. “I will still light the menorah and say my prayers just like always.”

Jewish sophomore Gillian Meyer agrees with Goetz that this date change won’t affect her and her family in any drastic way. She noted that while having Hanukkah later in the year increases the excitement; it is still not of great religious importance to her family.

“Even in the Jewish tradition [Hanukkah] is not a major holiday. It’s not even a holiday, it’s a festival,” Meyer said. “It has just seemed like a major holiday because Christmas is such a major holiday and the two have become a pair.”

This coincidental match-up of two unique holidays has generated a lot of hype. Fans of this once-in-a-lifetime holiday (literally, it won’t occur again for at least 70,000 years) can purchase shirts, like the Facebook page, or follow the twitter account. According to the New York Post, the pairing has even been granted a so-called “couple” name: Thanksgivukkah.

So, cook your turkeys and light your menorahs because Thanksgivukkah has arrived.

Sidebar: Check out this article from the New York Post for fresh, delicious recipes to make your Thanksgivukkah extra special. http://nypost.com/2013/11/21/recipes-fit-for-a-hanukkah-thanksgiving-celebration/

– Alexis Espinosa