Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel...We Shall Play
"Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay." So you don't really have to make your driedels out of clay. These days dreidels come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. If you're throwing a Hanukkah party this year you'll want to have some dreidels on hand so the kids can play the dreidel game (game rules below) and so you can use them as decoration.
So what is a dreidel anyway? A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with Hebrew letters on each side. The Hebrew letters of gimel, shin, heh, and nun stand for Hebrew words that translate into the English language to say that in Israel "A Great Miracle Happened Here".
The dreidel game starts with each player having an equal amount of something, usually chocolate coins called Hanukkah gelt. Before each spin, the players contribute one item from their own pile to the center of the pot. Players take turns spinning the dreidel. Depending on which letter is facing up when it lands is how each player knows how to respond.
Here are the outcomes:
Gimel = the player gets all of the pot
Nun = the player gets nothing
Heh = the player collects half the pot
Shin = the player puts one of their candies back into the pot
The player with all the candies, wins the game. If time is a constraint, just give a specific amount of time, and the one with the most pieces wins.
Why not use dreidel-shaped holiday invitations for your Hanukkah party to get everyone excited about the dreidel game!
Enjoy Planning.
Penelope