Chocolate Coins In India

Summary

Chocolate coins, traditionally associated with Hanukkah gelt, are enjoyed in India as simple chocolate treats without their original festive significance.

Abstract

The article discusses the popularity of chocolate coins in India, where they are not tied to any specific festival, unlike their origin as Hanukkah gelt in Jewish tradition. The author reflects on their personal experience with these coins, which their children enjoyed as a novelty, especially when they were younger. Despite the children growing older and the coins losing their initial allure, the author appreciates the year-round availability of these treats in India, a country with a plethora of festivals.

Opinions

The author's children, despite their ages, still show interest in the chocolate coins with higher denominations, even though they know the chocolate weight is uniform across all.
The author finds the concept of "Hanukkah gelt" unfamiliar and discovered its significance through a Medium article, appreciating the tradition of encouraging education and charity.
Initially, the author considered using the coins as rewards for their children's good behavior, but later felt they were too tacky for teenagers.
There is a sense of nostalgia for the time when the chocolate coins were a source of joy and excitement for the author's children.
The author laments the fact that children grow up quickly, missing the days when the chocolate coins were more magical to their kids.

“Hanukkah gelt” will get you a blank stare. To us, they’re chocolate coins!

Chocolate coins. Photo by the author.

My kids have always loved the chocolate coins that look like gold. They’re thirteen and eighteen years old, but will still try to get the coins stamped with the higher denomination, even though they know that the weights of the chocolate are the same for all “denominations.”

Gold foil covers disc-shaped chocolate. Photos by the author.

Recently, I read a Medium article entitled, “You can’t Venmo Hanukkah Gelt” which intrigued me. I had never heard the word “gelt.” When I read the story, I realized that gelt was money given around the Jewish festival of Hannukah to encourage education and charity.

The chocolate coins have found their way to India without their festive accent.

Not that I mind being able to buy these coins year-round without a festival to accompany them. In India, we have enough festivals to keep us very busy, year-round!

I considered using the coins as rewards for good things my kids did, but then my kids turned into teenagers and the coins started to seem tacky. Now, the kids can take them or leave them. There was a time, however, when the chunky gold chocolate coins would bring a sparkle to my children’s eyes whenever I’d pull them out of my purse.

Sometimes it is a pity when kids grow up too fast.