LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) -- While many will celebrate Christmas on the 25th of this year, some will light the menorah for the first night of Hanukkah.
When you think of Hannukah, you probably see an image of the menorah due to its significance.
Wayne Ingalls, Zaqen or Elder of the Beit Tefillah Messianic Fellowship said in ancient times, Jewish people were forced out of the Temple and forced to deny their Jewish ways.
After making their way back, they rededicated the altar with a menorah by lighting olive oil.
They say with only one day's worth of oil they were able to keep it lit for eight days, hence the eight-day celebration.
"Part of that is a hanukkiah which is an eight-candle menorah, the ninth one here is the shamash, or the serving candle and in terms of how you count, each night you add a candle to the menorah to bring out a total of 8 days for that," he explained.
Ingalls also said the deeper meaning of the eight days continues with the Feast of Sukkot within Jewish tradition.
While many may think of the lighting of the menorah - a significant part of the celebration -
There are other honored traditions during the 8 days.
One of the most recognizable is the dreidel.
"It's based on a tradition about how in ancient times, the men would be illegally studying the Torah and the kids were in the street, officially as guards on the outside, but were playing dice games, like dreidel," Ingalls shared.
He said they played the games to make everything seem normal, however, nowadays things can get pretty intense.
It's all in pursuit of all of the gelt, a golden coin, more so nowadays a piece of chocolate made to look like a coin.
"There's a certain skill to making it go," he said. "It can be a pretty competitive game to get the Hanukkah gelt."
Of course one of the most important aspects of many celebrations is the food, many fried in olive oil due to the significance.
"Things like donuts are very traditional, blintzes are traditional, donut holes and latkes," Ingalls said. "Which are basically a potato pancake, but it's basically shredded potatoes with matzo meal and typically with onions and again deep-fried."
Along with all of its traditions, Ingalls says one of his favorite ways to celebrate is with those close to him.
"In more recent times, just favorites memories of celebrating it with grandkids," Ingalls shared. "That's kind of a big cool thing is to teach them the traditions of the holiday and to enjoy it as a family."
He also says that while you may not know much about the celebration, there's no reason to fear taking part.
"It's about food and celebrating and family so it's an extremely enjoyable holiday and even if you're not Jewish, you can play dreidel and even light a menorah if you'd like to," he said.
The eight-day celebration will begin this year on December 25 and last until January 2.