Hanukkah Coupon Jars - Last Minute Gift!

These Hanukkah coupon jars are the perfect last minute gift idea – that TOTALLY is not lame! For more gifting inspiration, check out my best ideas for 8 nights of Hanukkah gifts. This post contains affiliate links.

If you’re reading this Chanukah gift post the day before Chanukah (or maybe even on Chanukah?) I bet you could probably use a great last-minute idea that doesn’t require any extra errands. Maybe even one that won’t cost you any money if you don’t want it to, but is still fun to open and enjoy.

This Hanukkah coupon jar is perfect for you!

Why the Hankkah Coupon Jar is a fun solution!

Let’s talk for a minute about Chanukah gifts. It seems like that’s what everyone’s talking about anyway. On one hand, who doesn’t love getting gifts? What a fun way to show your love and spread the joy of Judaism and our survival, right?

On the other hand, sometimes I worry. All this gifting can get expensive – especially if your kids are hoping for another treat on each of the 8 nights! And do I really want my kids to associate a religious holiday with THAT much consumerism? And clutter my home with stuff?

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly, holiday-spirited, wholesome way to fill your Chanukah gifting needs, read on – because the Hanukkah coupon jar is the solution you need.

The way it works is that each night, each family member gets to pick one thing to unwrap – but instead of being material gifts, each one is a coupon for a different type of treat. Some may lead to a gift or gelt, while others could be privileges or maybe even pranks! I’ll share some ideas below to get you started.

This is a fabulous idea for teachers too.

For a fun Chanukah spin (see what I did there?) we’ll fold the coupons into dreidel shapes before tossing them into the jar. If you’re really, really short on time, you don’t HAVE to do this, but it’s not hard at all once you get into a rhythm and it makes the “gifts” exponentially more exciting to open up.

You can, of course, also decorate the jar with stickers (or DIY decals if you have a Cricut).

I can see this becoming a beloved family tradition that we’ll enjoy every year. I wonder if my kids will even continue it with their kids someday! It’s simple, sweet, festive, and fun – really, everything you need in a Chanukah gift.

Ideas for Hanukkah coupon jar rewards

Here are some ideas to include in your coupon jar just to get you started! You can create your own spinoffs of these ideas, make multiples of some – and just have fun with it.

The ones that I did include:

No chores for you tomorrow! – or pick a day
Ice cream for breakfast
Doubles of dessert
Date with mom/dad (can be separate coupons or a choice)
Different (modest) amounts of “gelt” (they trade the coupon to you for $1, $5, whatever the coupon says)
Stay up ½ hour past bedtime
Movie night
Game night
Craft night
Favorite dinner (kids’ choice)
Sleep in/go to school late
An outing/trip
Specific gifts

You can also mix in some Chanukah-themed treats:

You get the first latke out of the pan!
Get an extra free spin when it’s your turn in dreidel
Amount of gelt = how many candles were lit tonight

Or if you’re a teacher:

Eat in class
Free homework
Help with homework
Extra credit in varying amounts

How to make a Hanukkah coupon jar

Supplies

Origami paper (or other lightweight paper)
Jar – get a cute one or clean a food jar well
Ultra fine tip permanent marker

Steps

1. Cut your paper into squares. I cut sheets of origami paper into fourths and the size felt just right.

2. Write a “prize” on each one. The key is to mix in different types of prizes because the fun is in the variety and surprise. Prizes can include things you were planning to do anyway (e.g. doughnuts for everyone), and this makes it feel like even more of a treat. See my list above for more inspiration and make sure to watch the tutorial video.

3. Follow my origami dreidel tutorial to fold each coupon into a dreidel shape (use the flat version).

4. Toss all the dreidels into a spacious jar.

5. Shake it up and have each family member pick a dreidel to open up after menorah lighting each night! Or just do this on one or two nights where you want a filler.