elanamatic: The New Gelt On Hanukah, it is traditional to get and receive Hanukah Gelt - chocolate wrapped in gold foil resembling coinage. Gelt is yiddish for money. I believe the reason it looks like coins is because it is a reminder to give charity. Not sure how it evolved into chocolate. Being a chocolholic, I don't mind this tradition, although it's generally cheap soapy tasting chocolate.
I propose a new marketing scheme, Hanukah Guilt. You just wait, next year, every mother will be doling it out. Gold foil wrapped reminders to be a good daughter/son/Jew. It's like a fortune cookie, except with a nag instead of a fortune inside. The possibilities are endless:
"Did you remember to call your uncle such-and-such? He's lonely."
"Stop picking on your sister."
"You completely forgot our anniversary. Do you even know how long we've been married?"
"You might want to consider getting a haircut already."
