Celebrate Hanukkah with 8 Festive Tattoos

December’s not just for Christmas. On December 22nd, 2019 Hanukkah begins and will be celebrated for eight nights until December 30th. Also known as the Festival of Lights, the story of Hanukkah begins around 200 BC in Judea when Syrian King Antiochus III took rule. Antiochus III and his son Antiochus IV outlawed the Jewish religion and ordered the Jews to worship the Greek god. In response, a rebellion led by a Jewish priest Mattathias and his five sons occurred, during which the Hanukkah miracle occurred. During the rededication to the Second Temple, the rebels only had enough olive oil to keep their menorah’s candles lit for one night. However, the candles stayed lit for eight days and inspired the Jewish sages to establish a yearly eight-day festival.

Today, Hanukkah is celebrated by people of the Jewish faith around the world and while traditions may vary between households, most involve the lighting of a menorah, the cooking of foods fried in oil (such as latkes) and the spinning of a dreidel. In honor of the upcoming celebration, we’ve curated eight festive Hanukkah-inspired tattoos to pay homage to the eight-day celebration. Take a peek at the tattoos in the gallery below, then let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments section.