How to Have a Ralph Lifshitz Hanukkah

Forget the Ralph Lauren Christmas trend. Here’s to a gaudy Festival of Lights!

As this winter holiday season approaches, it’s clear that non-Jews are yearning for one thing: a Ralph Lauren Christmas. This means decorating your home with all the luxury and comfort of Ralph Lauren decor — even if it’s not all from the high-end brand. The style calls for green tartan and velvet ribbons, pine garlands, brass candlestick holders, ornaments in deep red, forest green and navy. 

But lest we forget that Ralph Lauren was actually Ralph Lifshitz, born in the Bronx to Jewish immigrant parents?

That’s why we here at Hey Alma are counter-proposing our own winter holiday trend: Ralph Lifshitz Hanukkah. In stark contrast to the traditionalism of Ralph Lauren Christmas, Ralph Lifshitz Hanukkah is all about being ungaptchka, or overly garish. Forgo just blue and silver decorations this year! Make big choices with bright colors and busy patterns. Let the visual language of Boca bubbies and Fran Fine be your guide.

And speaking of guides, here are a few decor, Judaica and clothing suggestions to get your Ralph Lifshitz Hanukkah started out right.

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Everything we recommend below is independently selected by Hey Alma’s editors. If you buy a product through our links, Hey Alma may earn an affiliate commission, which goes to support our nonprofit media organization.

Cake Menorah (Rex Designs)

This decadent handmade menorah may not be kosher, but it can still be the cherry on top to your Ralph Lifshitz Hanukkah!

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Hanukkah Dog Menorah (Kohl's)

Classic gold menorah, but make it a dog with a weird little face.

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Rollercoaster Menorah (Susan Alexandra)

Menorah shopping can be an emotional rollercoaster, but buying this cute and colorful Susan Alexandra hanukkiah doesn't have to be.

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I Happen to Like New York Dreidel (Susan Alexandra)

Honor Ralph Lifshitz's Bronx roots with a dreidel that says: I love New York! The other sides include illustrations of a bagel, a pigeon and a yellow cab.

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Star of David Napkin Ring Set (West Elm)

In case your Hanukkah party isn't sufficiently Jewish enough, really do it up with these Star of David napkin rings.

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Sufganiyah Large Napkins (ModernTribe)

Are these napkins not a work of art?

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Savory Deli Favorite Appetizer Plates (West Elm)

Be campy, eat a latke off a latke plate.

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Milk Chocolate Chanukah Gelt in Collectible Gift Tin (ModernTribe)

And when you're done with the gelt, this collectible tin can become a sewing kit or a trinket box.

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Menorah Taper Candles (Target)

You have to have colorful candles for Ralph Lifshitz Hanukkah.

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Lighted Dreidel Outdoor Decoration (Target)

This isn’t a want. It’s a need.

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Ralph Lifshitz Kippah (OJM)

Anything from Old Jewish Men’s Ralph Lifshitz collection is acceptable to wear on Ralph Lifshitz Hanukkah. But if you had to pick one product, it’s these bad boys. Each order comes with one corduroy kippah and one velvet kippah.

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Bear Ralph Lifshitz Sweater (OJM)

If you have to pick two OJM products, get this cozy sweater featuring a bear getting takeout.

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Maccabeelieve Mug (Hey Alma)

Because who doesn't love an adorable and #inspirational Hanukkah pun in the morning?

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Potato Princess Apron (Hey Alma)

Just because latke-making is greasy work doesn’t mean you can’t look like hot pink royalty while doing it!

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Kitten Dreidel Hanukkah Snow Globe (Kohl's)

Christmas snow globes are out. Hanukkah snow globes featuring a cat and a dreidel that are inexplicably the same proportions are in!

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Colorful Hanukkah Dreidel Lights (Traditions Jewish Gifts)

The Festival of Lights calls for all the light you can get. A Ralph Lifshitz Hanukkah also requires as much color as you can get.

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The Eighth Flame Knot Wrap (Lush)

This LUSH knot wrap is technically an alternative to gift wrapping. But it could also be a hair wrap or a Hanukkah decoration!

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The Ali Wrapping Paper (Safta)

Plain blue and white Hanukkah wrapping paper is far too normie for Ralph Lifshitz Hanukkah. Try this instead!

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Hanukkah 3D Metallic Stickers (The Jewish Museum)

For kids and, let's be honest, for adults, too.

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Happy Hanukkah Pillow (Bergdorf Goodman)

This is a holiday decorative pillow we wouldn't be mad about seeing out all year round.

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Druggist Weed Canister (Jonathan Adler)

Jonathan Adler had a vision. And that vision was to create trippy-chic home decor to hide your stash. And then, when that vision happened to have a blue, white and gold color scheme, he was probably like, “Fuck it, put ‘em in the Hanukkah collection.” If that doesn’t encapsulate the vibe of Ralph Lifshitz Hanukkah, we don’t know what does.

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Druggist Shrooms Canister (Jonathan Adler)

Use this to store your gelt, mini dreidels or something stronger.

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Druggist LSD Canister (Jonathan Adler)

Adult dreidel rules: Whoever lands on gimmel gets all of whatever's in here.

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Evelyn Frick

Evelyn Frick (she/they) is a writer and associate editor at Hey Alma. She graduated from Vassar College in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. In her spare time, she's a comedian and contributor for Reductress and The Onion.

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