DENVER — During the darkest time of the year for Americans, lights cover the outside of houses, fireplaces warm the inside of homes and for many, menorahs sit aflame as families and friends come together to celebrate Hanukkah.

“Hanukkah is actually kind of a minor holiday in the Jewish religion, but it's a pretty big holiday in the American-Jewish culture,” said Daniel Siegel, the engagement program manager at Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center in Denver.

In fact, he said, many elements of Hanukkah have been Americanized over the years as Christmas and other winter holidays get so much attention. This includes receiving eight presents over the eight days of Hanukkah. 

“The presents tradition of Hanukkah that you might see in American Judaism is actually not a religious custom at all. It's part of the culture of being in America,” said Siegel. 

Still Siegel said there are similarities between Hanukkah and other winter holidays, like a theme of light. He also believes people truly connect with the story of the Maccabees.

The story of Hanukkah dates back to thousands of years ago when the Holy Land in Israel was ruled by a group of Greeks who tried to force people there to accept Greek culture and beliefs instead of their own beliefs in God. Despite the odds being greatly against them, a band of Jewish people led by Judah the Maccabee defeated the Greeks and ran them out of town. They reclaimed the temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it. 

While rededicating the temple, they found only a small amount of oil that hadn’t been contaminated by the Greeks. The oil was enough to last for one night, but somehow that oil was able to keep the temple’s menorah lit for eight days.