This is a prompt-based creative challenge that runs for the eight nights and days of Hanukkah. You can participate as much or as little as you want. You are welcome to make fanworks (for any fandom) or original works, and use any medium (writing, art, knitting, etc.) you would like!
AO3: ChanukahChallenge5786
Each day has a theme and three additional prompts, for a total of four prompts. You can do something inspired by one (or more) of these four prompts, or write/draw/make something related to the holiday itself. (So, works should be based off the prompts and/or Hanuka.) For example, for Day 6, a story about a character remembering her grandfather ("family") and an artwork of someone lighting a chanukkiah (general Hanukah) would both fit the challenge.
You can absolutely post late, even after the week is finished, and you don't have to do the days in order or do all the days! Any language is welcome. Prompts do not have to be followed literally; feel free to introduce your own interpretations.
I will reblog works on this blog made for this challenge that are posted on Tumblr and either @ this blog or are tagged #chanukah challenge. If you don't want your post reblogged, just let me know (via ask, DM, or in the body of the post) and I will honor that!
Text-version of the prompts below the cut:
Day 1: Festival of Lights
Candle | Darkness/Light | Tikkun Olam
Day 2: Menorah/Chanukkiah
Miracle | Tree of Life | Eight
Day 3: Judaism
Magen David | (Re)connecting with Judaism | Other Jewish Holidays
Day 4: Celebration
Joy | Winter | Dreidel
Day 5: History
Revolt/Rebellion | The Maccabees | “Who can retell?”
Day 6: Shabbat
Shalom/Peace | Family | Growth
Day 7: Customs/Traditions
Oil | Gelt | Memories
Day 8: Happy Hanukkah!
L’Chaim! | Gift | Sour Cream or Applesauce Debate
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
For @chanukah-challenge Day 3. A very late Day 3.
Judaism
Magen David | (Re)connecting with Judaism | Other Jewish Holidays
Characters: Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Alfred Pennyworth
Summary
Dick comes home excited after learning about different winter holidays in school. Alfred told him that Bruce's mother was Jewish, and Dick has never been part of a Hanukkah celebration before!
But the truth is, Bruce hasn't celebrated Hanukkah in sixteen years. Not since his parents died and his mother's holidays became too painful.
I just wanna say a big Thank You! to the whole #jumblr community. While I don't follow that many of you, I have been interacting with many more over the past years. You've been so kind, educating, creative, funny, wholesome… either in posts on my dash or sometimes in personal interactions as well.
Several years ago when I first started following some Jewish people on here, it was for posts about art, queerness, politics etc but then it somehow turned out I was "served" lessons about Jewish culture, holidays, traditions… and antisemitism on the regular now. I really appreciate those lessons. Even to the point I might consider converting but I'm also shy and probably not ready yet hehe. :D On the other hand maybe it's just a phase, a special interest, a wish for profound change in my life!? We'll see over time I guess. 🤷 End of rant.
Anyway, toda raba and keep shining like this Chanukiah above! 🕯
✡︎ w.c. 1.4k words
✡︎ tags/warning(s). canon/f!oc, established relationship, some suggestive dialogue, but mostly fluff 🩵
✡︎ a/n. co-written with @super-unpredictable98 for @chanukah-challenge ➝ Prompt: Shabbat
✡︎ divider credits. @/saradika-graphics
✡︎ summary. Ellery wants her first Shabbat since converting to be perfect, and Danny couldn't be prouder.
"Danny, you wanna help me in the kitchen for a sec?" Ellery asked, wiping her hands on the bottom of her apron and checking the list she'd made earlier that morning of everything she had to prepare. "I've got almost everything cooking, but I gotta finish up the honey cakes. Can you check on the challah for me?" she asked. "I want everything to be perfect," she murmured, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.
"You don't have to be perfect, you just have to do it with heart," Danny murmured, watching her with hearts in his eyes. He opened the oven door and the nostalgic smell hit him right away.
"It's almost ready, sweetheart. Five minutes. It smells like heaven in here, just like when grandma used to bake them."
At his words, Ellery practically beamed. “Oh good, that’s a relief,” she breathed, pouring the batter for the honey cakes into tiny bundt pans and slipping them into the oven as well.
"You'd make any Yiddish mama proud," Danny smiled, setting the candles at the end of their table. "Don't forget to put the cover on your head before lighting them."
"Right," Elle murmured, untying her apron before slipping her white prayer veil over her head, covering her chin length hair. As she grabbed the box of matches to light the candles, she went over the prayer under her breath, worried she was going to forget a section.
Danny put on his kippah and placed his hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, I'm right here, you can do it," he assured her. He knew she was capable of doing it herself, but he wanted her to know he was also there for her in case she forgot.
Ellery nodded, sparing Danny a soft smile before fishing a match from the box and striking it against the side, watching the tiny flame spark to life. Taking a deep breath, she began to recite the Shabbat prayer as she carefully lit the candles, the melodic Hebrew flowing from her tongue just as she’d practiced it so many times.
Danny mouthed the words along, proud to see her get every word right. The candles were lit and he opened his eyes. "Amen! Shabbat Shalom!" he exclaimed, pulling her closer. "You did so good, Elly! The rabbi is gonna be so proud of you!"
“Shabbat Shalom!” she replied, throwing her arms around Danny’s neck. “Thank you, babe, I’m rather proud of myself too,” she admitted, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Now let’s eat! I’m starving,” she exclaimed.
"I'm starving too," Danny chuckled, kissing her cheek as well and pulling out the chair for her. "Since you lit the candles, I can make your plate," he offered, carefully piling her plate high and adding a nice piece of golden challah with sesame seeds on top. "Smells so good, babe!" he praised.
"Thank you, Dans," Elly replied, giving his hand a squeeze once he'd handed her her plate. "Maybe next week we can invite your family," she suggested, taking a bite of the warm challah and letting out a soft groan of enjoyment.
"Definitely, I wanna show off my perfect wife," Danny smiled and took a bite of his challah as well. "Oh wow... this is perfect, I'm gonna end up all fat if you let me."
Ellery’s chest tightened with affection as she watched her husband. “You know I’d love you just the same,” she said, though she gave his stomach a playful poke. “Besides, you look pretty cute with a pudgy belly,” she murmured.
"Oh! You and your cousins are in a conspiracy to fatten us up!" Danny laughed, cutting himself some roast beef too. "I'll tell Simon and Jason to watch out for the sneaky snacks."
“I’m sure they’re past caring at this point,” Elly laughed. “If you think I’m bad, Sunny and Stella are worse,” she joked, taking a bite as well.
"I know, I went to basketball with the guys last week, they're all incredibly out of shape– not that I'm in shape at all, but we looked like a bunch of fat geese running around." Danny took a bite and moaned in appreciation.
Ellery couldn’t help the cackle that left her lips at the image his words brought to mind. “I’m sure we can find another activity to help burn some of those calories,” she teased.
"Babe!" Danny exclaimed, smirking. "Did the rav tell you about Shabbat pleasures? When I was in Hebrew school, I learned that sex is really encouraged, it's Oneg Shabbat."
“Oh!” Ellery gasped, her face flushing pink before her lips tugged into a grin. “Of course I knew that,” she murmured, taking a sip from her glass.
"It's our sacred fun as a married couple," Danny murmured, placing his hand on her thigh. "The food is so good, I might just be falling even more in love with you."
"I like the sound of that," Ellery laughed, placing her hand over his on her thigh and giving it a squeeze. "If that's the case, I'm never gunna stop cooking for you," she teased, winking at him.
"Wait until your mom hears about that. Your dad told me she couldn't cook at all until they were engaged, disastrous levels of bad," Danny laughed. "I got lucky here."
"Oh, yeah, she was a disaster in the kitchen," Elly snickered. "That was a big reason I wanted to get good at cooking," she mused. "I wanted to be able to cook for my future partner and pour all my love into the food," she murmured. "And I've really loved learning all your mom and grandma's Jewish recipes."
"You're amazing, I'm gonna be able to brag to everyone at the synagogue," Danny teased, pinching her side. "How does your family feel about the whole thing now that you really converted?"
"They're happy for me," Ellery replied. "I don't think my brother thought I'd actually stick with it, but I had to prove him wrong," she admitted, rolling her eyes. "You know my family's not really all that religious, but we grew up really close with Aunt Lyd's family and they're Jewish, so it's always kinda been a part of my life anyway," she admitted.
"That's true, Aunt Lyds and Aunt Blossom," Danny smiled—he’d come to love her family like his own. "I know Ben’s pretty skeptical when it comes to you completing tasks, but hey! You passed with honors."
Ellery nodded, glad that he loved her family so much. “He’s obligated to be a pain in my side,” she laughed, taking a bite of honey cake. “But this was one thing I really wanted to do,” she murmured.
"That's what brothers are for, so I'm told," Danny chuckled, caressing her hair. "I'm glad you did it, not because I'd love you any less, but... I just feel so proud of everything you've accomplished."
“Technically he’s your brother too,” Elly joked, leaning into his touch. “Thank you, Danny, that means so much to me to hear that. I love you so much,” she murmured.
"Oh yeah! My only-child brain can't even comprehend that I have all these cousins, and siblings, and aunts, and uncles... so many in-laws," Danny marveled, rubbing his nose against her cheek.
"Just wait till we have a bunch of kids of our own and my cousins have a bunch of kids, our kids will never be lonely," she exclaimed, turning her face to steal a kiss.
"Everyone's gonna have a billion kids, and family vacations will be more like huge excursions," Danny chuckled. "Twins run on their side, so maybe we'll have a pair or two."
"I can't wait," Elly sighed. "Just imagine how exciting our Hanukkah celebrations will be with such a big family," she said, grinning.
"We better get a cauldron for the Passover matzo ball soup," Danny laughed, takeing her hand, already imagining a little army of kids driving them crazy.
"I guess so," she laughed, biting her lip as she looked at him. "Speaking of an army of kids... maybe we should get started on that," she murmured, biting her lip.
"Oh definitely, I couldn’t agree more," Danny exclaimed, moving fast to put the dishes in the sink before picking Elly up in his arms. "I guess it's time to digest."
Ellery let out a delighted laugh and clung to Danny as he carried her out of the room. She couldn’t have asked for a better first Shabbat.
Cowritten with @mrprettywhenhecries for the Hanukkah event by @chanukah-challenge
Word count: 1,3k | Pairing: Simon x Sunny
Warning: none
A/n: Our submission with the theme Tradition. Happy Hanukkah to all 🧡🧡
[Masterlist]
"I just need to get my baking dish back and we'll be ready for our perfect night in," Sunny parked in front of her cousin's house.
Stella and Jason's home was all covered in blue and white string lights, with bears, a menorah, and dreidels to decorate the lawn.
Sunny knocked on the door, which had a big blue wreath hanging on it.
"Hanukkah Sameach!" Stella opened the door. "Come in, come on in."
"Wow, you guys really go all out, huh?" Simon exclaimed, gaping at all the Hanukkah decorations as he followed his girlfriend inside, greeting Stella and Jason.
"Yeah... we really love decorating and doing all the fun holiday stuff," she said while going into the kitchen to get the dish.
"Just like her mum and my mum..." Sunny chuckled. "My uncle even converted. My dad was too scared to give up bacon, but he loves the traditions too."
Simon snorted. “That does sound like your dad,” he chuckled, his grin slipping slightly.
“It’s nice though. I can’t even remember the last time we really celebrated, let alone decorated,” he murmured.
"You didn't celebrate the holidays with your family?" Sunny frowned. "Maybe we can have a little holiday spirit at our place too."
"Here," Stella handed them the dish with some chocolate gelt inside.
"Thank you, Telly, see you two on Sunday!" She waved at Jason.
"Thanks, Stell. See ya, Jason!" Simon exclaimed, snatching one of the little chocolate coins from the dish to unwrap and pop in his mouth.
"My mom was always working extra shifts and we didn't really have much extra money for decorations, much less presents," he explained as he chewed. "I went to Christmas at Kate's a few times though," he added with a shrug.
"That really sucks," Sunny handed him the dish once they were back in the car. "We'll have to find my menorah and we can light up the candles together. We can even spin the dreidel," she chuckled.
He grinned, stealing another chocolate. “That would be cool,” he murmured. “It’ll kinda be like my first Hanukkah all over again,” he joked.
Once they made it home, she rushed inside to look for her things, it had been a while since she celebrated.
"Do you know where my menorah is? It's shaped like a banana," she opened the drawers. "The candles should be there too."
Simon snorted. “A banana? That’s so you, babe,” he laughed, helping her look. “I haven’t seen it, but I’m sure we’ll find it,” he added, pulling down some boxes from the shelf in their closet.
"Got it!" Sunny held up a bright yellow banana with little holes for the candles.
She grabbed a box of the thin Hanukkah candles and placed it on the kitchen counter.
"I'm pretty sure I have some latkes my mother made in the fridge."
"Mmmmmm, now if only we had some of Elly's challah," he joked, wrapping his arms around her from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder.
"Hey! My challah is just as good as my cousin's... I just need time. I'll make sure to cook all the classics tomorrow," she said, setting the candles up.
“I know, I’m just teasin’,” Simon chuckled giving her a squeeze. “Yeah? I can’t wait,” he exclaimed excitedly.
"For now, we have the candles," she took her book with the prayers written down in Hebrew.
She handed Simon a kippah and lit the first one, using it to light the others.
He hastily clapped the kippah atop his head and glanced over her shoulder at the notes, listening to her recite the words.
She finished the prayer and pulled him into a tight hug.
"Hanukkah Sameach, bubbeleh," Sunny kissed the tip of his nose.
“Hanukkah Sameach!” Simon cheered, wrapping her in a bear hug and spinning her around. “I feel much more festive already!” He laughed.
"Let me get those latkes frying and we can spin the dreidel to see how we're gonna share them," she teased. "Do you like yours with apple sauce or sour cream?"
“Hmmmm, sour cream,” he decided, following her to the kitchen and slipping up onto the counter to watch her.
Sunny hummed while waiting for the oil to be hot enough. Her mother always sent a lot of food for her to just bake or fry at home, even if she loved to cook.
"A man of taste, but I'm not gonna lie... I like mine with marinara sauce. It's not traditional, but it's so good."
"Oh man, that sounds pretty good actually," he exclaimed, swinging his feet over the edge of the counter. "Do we have any marinara sauce?" He asked.
"We do, I don't know why people don't do that more. It's potato! Potato goes great with ketchup or marinara, some BBQ maybe," Sunny mused as she fried the latkes.
"Mmm, I'd dip those little beauties in anything really," Simon exclaimed.
"Well, I've seen you eat a piece of bread that was so moldy it was practically cosplaying as blue cheese," she chuckled and grabbed the marinara sauce. "All ready."
"Oh c'mon, it wasn't *that* bad!" He laughed, jumping off the counter to follow her to the table, pausing at the fridge to grab a couple drinks for them.
"It was pretty bad... you toasted it and said all the fungus spores died," she teased, dipping her latke in the marinara. "And weirdest of all, you were totally fine after."
“I have a stomach of steel, sweetcheeks, you know that better than anyone,” Simon said, patting his belly with his hands as he plopped into the seat next to her.
"That's one of my favorite parts of you," Sunny fed him carefully. "Maybe... maybe I'll let you keep half of these even without spinning the dreidel."
“Well, I’m not gunna complain, but I still wanna spin the dreidel for fun anyway,” Simon said as he chewed.
"Alright," she took another bite. "We still have all that gelt to share..."
"Yeah!" He agreed. "Do you have a dreidel?" He asked.
"Of course I do, what sort of Jew do you think I am?" She joked, digging through a box of her knitting supplies until she found her bright orange dreidel. "Here."
Simon snorted and took it. "Well, you're a better one than me," he chuckled, giving the dreidel a spin.
"Oh, looks like you have to add some gelt to the pile," she chuckled. "Better luck next time..."
She smirked, spinning as well. On her turn, it landed on Nun, so she just passed him the dreidel back.
He wrinkled his nose, pouting as he returned some of his chocolates to the pile.
"C'mon dreidel, be good to me," he said, giving an enthusiastic spin. When it landed on Hay, he threw his arms up. "That's right, gimme half!" He cheered.
"Ugh, you're the worst," she split the small pile in half and gave it to him. "I know how to win all of it though..."
She kissed him lovingly and reached her hand to grab his chocolate while he was distracted.
Simon sighed into the kiss, effectively distracted for the moment. “What was that for? Not that I’m complaining—*hey*!” he yelped when he realized most of his gelt was missing. “That’s playing dirty, Sunny!” he exclaimed, tickling her sides.
She laughed and squirmed around like a worm in the rain. "Alright alright! We'll split it down the middle."
“Aw, you can have a few more of my chocolates, since you’re so darn cute,” Simon chuckled, pulling her back into his arms.
"Works every time," Sunny teased.
Tag list: @mrprettywhenhecries @punkrockmlchael @sweetpeapod @simonsrealwife
i loved you before i even ever knew what love was like
buddie, 2.5k words, pure fluff
night 4 of my chanukah fic writing challenge. this is another eddie pov in the more more more universe. you don't need to read that to understand this.
Eddie can't sleep. It's dark, just a sliver of moonlight peeking through the gaps in the blinds. It illuminates the edge of Buck’s body next to him— Buck is on his side, facing away from Eddie, but with his back pressed into Eddie’s side. He’d fallen asleep wrapped around Eddie, but at some point one or both of them had shifted and Buck had rolled away. So now Eddie lays on his back and stares longingly at the rise and fall of Buck’s chest as he snores away. Eddie’s even endeared by Buck’s snoring. It’s honestly embarrassing.
He can’t sleep, though, because Buck is in bed with him. Buck kissed him. Buck is in love with him. Buck loves him back.
Eddie lays on his back and stares at Buck asleep next to him and blinks to make sure this is real life. Buck’s snoring cuts out— he stretches and rolls over, head nestling into Eddie’s neck. He throws both arm and leg across Eddie’s body, attaching himself to Eddie. In his sleep, Buck hums happily into Eddie’s shoulder. He’s snoring again—softer this time— almost directly into Eddie’s ear. Eddie, absolute loser that he is, a little bit wants to cry.
Buck just… loves him. Unconsciously loves him, unconsciously wants to hold him and never let go. Consciously does these things, too, now that Eddie’s being honest with himself about it. But Buck’s love for Eddie is so deeply saturated within him that he reaches for Eddie in his sleep.
Eddie’s already failing him. He just— why the fuck did he call Buck Evan?
Look, Eddie knows that this is not the real thing that’s bothering him right now. It’s just the thing he can turn over and over in his brain— the penny-sized thing he can flip until he lands on heads, rather than the boulder-sized thing that might crush him if he pushes it too hard.
But, seriously. Buck is Buck. Only Maddie ever calls him Evan, and she doesn’t even do it that much anymore. Eddie’s brain just… broke a little, maybe, in the sheer enormity of the feelings that slapped him in the face in that moment.
It’s not like Eddie didn’t have some sense of it. He just… isn’t a guy who gets what he wants. (He’s working on it.) On a certain level, he knew he wanted Buck. But to look at it too hard, to turn it into a concrete desire, would be to doom it to never happen. Because Eddie isn’t a guy who gets what he wants. So he doesn’t want the important things.
And now— Buck. Eddie might as well have the last few hours tattooed onto the backs of his eyelids, and the moments before Buck kissed him are the ones in sharpest detail. Buck had been unsteady on his feet, like a weight had suddenly dropped off of him and he had to learn how to balance his newly-free body. Eddie knew right away what that weight was, and still he didn’t let himself want it.
Eddie had stared at Buck, on his knees in Eddie’s doorway, and Eddie had felt the ocean of his desire pull back from its beach. Buck had stood up too fast, and Eddie had put a hand on his arm to steady him, and the wave had blocked out the sun. He’d asked if Buck was okay, and what was going on, but he already knew. And Buck had rasped, “I want—” and the wave’s lip started to curl over.
Then, Buck had grabbed Eddie by the waist, and the wave had crashed, and the only thing Eddie could say before he drowned in his tsunami of want was “Evan.”
