The Best Hanukkah Candles to Light Up All Eight Nights

The Hanukkah season celebrates a miracle of light. When the one day's supply of oil continued to light the menorah candles in the Second Temple, it was a welcome sign to the people who had fought and won against their oppressors. Origins for the story of Hanukkah can be found in the books of Maccabees I and II, which retells the captivity of the Israelites under the rule of the Syrian-Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Epiphanes wanted to erase their identities and their religious beliefs, but a family by the name of Maccabee led a revolution to reclaim the Temple and free Jerusalem from the Greek-Syrians. Hanukkah, which means "dedication," developed from this story. Because of the importance of the candles in the Temple, the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah is also referred to as the Festival of Lights.

A menorah has four branches on each side with one shammash candle in the center, which is used to kindle the others, one by one, on each passing night. While the menorah lighting at your synagogue is a great opportunity to gather with friends, family, and the local community (especially after a year apart), you can also celebrate Hanukkah at home with your own candle lighting rituals. And once you have your menorah, you will need a set of candles to bring the Festive of Lights to life. For your family's celebration, a traditional set of 45 white tapers—such as the one pictured here from West Elm ($22, westelm.com)—will serve you well.

The best candles to include in your menorah are of the tapered variety, but you don't necessarily have to stick to traditional holiday colors of blue and silver. The delicate, elongated taper is designed to fit most menorahs, at 3/8 to 1/2 inch in diameter—and its shape is right for so many occasions. But during Hanukkah, at nightfall, Jewish families everywhere will begin the eight-day observance by lighting candles, singing songs, showering their children with gifts, and feasting on potato latkes.