3 Tips for Planning an Affordable Chanukkah Feast

Although Chanukkah lasts eight nights, many people who celebrate the holiday have a custom of gathering with family on just one of those nights for a gift exchange and feast. And the latter has the potential to get expensive if you're feeding a larger crowd.

If you're hoping to avoid a massive credit card tab in the course of your Chanukkah meal, here are some tips for keeping your costs down.

1. Don't get fancy with your latkes

The story of Chanukkah centers on the Jewish people emerging victorious over their oppressors and reclaiming the holy Temple. Back then, it was customary to light a candelabra called a menorah with oil, but there was only enough on hand to last a single night.

Miraculously, though, that small amount of oil managed to last eight nights, giving the Jewish people time to replenish their supply in time. To put it into modern-day terms, it's sort of like being stuck outside of the home for a full day and realizing your cellphone only has 15% battery -- only instead of running out of juice before lunchtime, it somehow remains powered on until nighttime.

These days, it's customary to eat foods fried in oil on Chanukkah. And potato latkes, or pancakes, are a common centerpiece of any Chanukkah feast.

If you're looking to save money on your Chanukkah meal, don't get needlessly fancy with those latkes. Gourmet chefs might publish recipes featuring different varieties, like turnip and beet latkes or those made of butternut squash. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with sticking to a classic. And besides, your kids may be less inclined to enjoy the fancier stuff, anyway.

2. Go easy with desserts

Just as it's customary to eat potato latkes on Chanukkah, so too are donuts a popular option because they also tend to be fried. But if you'll be serving latkes and donuts, you may want to call it a day from there and avoid a trip to your local bakery for additional cookies and cakes.

Latkes and donuts can be very heavy and hard on the stomach. So chances are, this is one of those situations where a large dessert spread is going to constitute a waste of money.

3. Make it a BYOB affair

Some people like to enjoy a little wine with their Chanukkah dinner. Others might opt for a latkes and vodka pairing -- because who doesn't like a catchy rhyme?

If you want to conserve funds as you pull together your Chanukkah bash, make your feast a BYOB affair. And if you are going to serve alcohol that you pay for yourself, see if your local Costco or Sam's Club has some affordable options that leave you spending less. (Note that alcohol is not available at every Costco or Sam's Club location.)

Whether you're hosting your Chanukkah feast on the first night of the holiday, the eighth night, or somewhere in the middle, there's no reason to go overboard with it. And the less you spend, the easier it might be to cover the cost of eight nights' worth of gifts.