The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (or Chanukah) gets underway on Friday, December 11th and continues for eight days.

Menorah on the First Night of Hanukkah © Laura Sternberg, Licensed to About.com

According to SimpletoRemember.com, 94,000 Jews reside in the Metro-Detroit Area. Like most holidays, however, not everyone celebrates the holiday. For those who do, there are several celebrations across town:

• Temple Kol Ami hosts two Hanukkah-related events. Shabbanukah at 6:00 pm on the first night of Hanukkah will have a latke bar, Menorah lighting, and songs. A Crazy Ninth Night of Chanukah on Saturday December 19th includes a concert by The Schmaltz Klezmer Ensemble, a dance party and dessert buffet.
  
  
• The Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield hosts a Family Chanukah Celebration on December 13th at 10 a.m. In addition to candle lighting, there will be songs, latkas and crafts.
  
  
• Congregation Shaarey Zedek, a conservative synagogue in Southfield, is hosting a Big Chanukah Blowout on December 13th at 12 noon with family activities, a movie, bingo and live bands, as well as a pyrotechnic menorah lighting. Price is $36 per family.

More Information About Hanukkah in Metro Detroit

Many of the drop-off locations in the Metro-Detroit area for Toys-for-Tots wrap up shop on Monday, December 14th; so if donating a toy is on your Christmas to-do list, now's the time to make it happen.

With Christmas almost upon us, it's easy to forget that Christianity is just one of the religions practiced in the Metro-Detroit area. The Pluralism Project of the University of Michigan / Dearborn celebrates the diversity by maintaining a slideshow archive depicting the many religions, practices and places of worship that exist in southeast Michigan, from the Swirling Wind Singers in a Native American Blessing in West Bloomfield to a Buddhist Meditation Center in Warren. Check it out!

Looking for a gift for that hard to please Detroiter?

Hitsville U.S.A., the Birthplace of Motown Records © Barbara Popek

Nothing invokes memories of the Motor City (or Motor Town) than the music of Motown. With the 50th anniversary of Motown Records, the label that started it all, in 2009, several anthologies were released that would make great Christmas gifts.