It was a chilly evening in the town of Harmony, and [Mia](R7QZVSJ3) was excited to visit her friend [Ben](F46YPTPX)'s house. [Ben](F46YPTPX)’s family was Jewish, and tonight they had invited [Mia](R7QZVSJ3) and their other friends to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah.

"Welcome, [Mia](R7QZVSJ3)!" said [Ben](F46YPTPX), opening the door and ushering her inside. The living room smelled delicious, with the scent of fried latkes floating through the air. The walls were decorated with family photos, including ones of [Ben](F46YPTPX)’s grandparents and their Hanukkah celebrations long ago.

[Mia](R7QZVSJ3) looked around to see their friends [Aisha](K7BVBZW4), [Liam](ZNQYYQWF), and [Sophie](G43ZMWW5) already there. [Ben](F46YPTPX)’s parents explained the meaning of the menorah and how each night they light another candle to remember the miracle of the oil that lasted eight days in the ancient Temple.

“That's so cool!” said [Liam](ZNQYYQWF), running his hands through his blond hair. "I didn’t know Hanukkah was about a miracle!" [Aisha](K7BVBZW4) nodded. “It’s like a way to always remember the good things, even when times are hard."

[Ben](F46YPTPX)’s mom handed everyone a dreidel and explained the rules of the game. "We use a special spinning top, and the letters on it remind us of the miracle," she said. Everyone took turns spinning, cheering when they won chocolate coins!

As the evening went on, [Ben](F46YPTPX)’s dad brought out a tray of golden latkes and creamy applesauce. It was [Mia](R7QZVSJ3)’s first time tasting them. “Yum!” she said with wide eyes. “These are amazing!”

After dinner, the children exchanged small gifts. [Ben](F46YPTPX) gave everyone a little book about Hanukkah. “This is so we can learn about each other's cultures and traditions,” he said. "Because being friends means understanding each other's stories."

As the snow fell quietly outside, [Ben](F46YPTPX)’s family sang songs in Hebrew. [Mia](R7QZVSJ3) joined in, humming along with everyone. It felt happy and peaceful. "I’m so glad I got to be part of this," [Mia](R7QZVSJ3) whispered to [Aisha](K7BVBZW4).

Before everyone left, [Ben](F46YPTPX)’s parents gave each friend a small box of chocolate coins. "Thank you all for coming," said [Ben](F46YPTPX)’s mom. “This holiday is about remembering, sharing, and kindness, and you all brought so much of that tonight."

As [Mia](R7QZVSJ3) left with her little book and chocolate coins, she thought about how special the night had been. She wanted to share everything she’d learned with her family. The menorah’s glow had filled the room—and her heart—with light.