I'm not Jewish, so generic info only. That light display was suggested some time ago. I can see the symbolism. It would be a reliving of what happened so long ago. Quite a lesson for children.

A famous rabbi (maybe Hillel?) said that it's a more inspiring symbol for the light to grow over time. Those weren't the words used, but I think it kind of gets the gist. Maybe he wanted to express the awe of what happened.

Anyway, everyone followed the advice of the rabbi.

Please let me know if anyone finds the name of the famous rabbi. I'm not great at searching Facebook.

I found more info on Judaicapedia.org. It was a discussion/debate between Hillel and Shabbai. Hillel maintained that holiness should always increase. So the lights should increase.

over Shammai and I agree with lighting one more candle each night.

I am in a blended family of different religions and ethnicities.
Raised Catholic but attended synagogue as an adult, with some of my married in family.

The children have always wanted to light all the menorah candles at home on the first night of Hanukka.
The adults refused and did it the traditional way.

But last year the adults relented and lit the whole shebang first night.
I was somewhat horrified and threatened to rat out the whole lot of them to the Rabbi.
They all laughed because the rabbi is Reform, very laid back and would be glad that we
lit the candles and said our prayers and brought Jewish tradition Ito the home.

So I guess we will do the same this year too.

You could light several menorahs different ways, one per Hillel and one per Shammai.

When I was a kid we had the large family one and me and my sisters had our own little ones we got in Israel. Mine is a replica of the one outside the Knesset.

Everyone will be happy then.
And I don't have to call the rabbi crisis line.

Oh that is neat about the little ones for the kids.
One of the kids in my family was bat mitzvahed in Israel so we use one she got at that time.