James Silverton wrote:

-snip-

> Was Chanukah not introduced as a possible Jewish alternative for
> Christmas?

Chanukah predates Jesus and therefore couldn't be a Jewish alternative
for anything Christian.

Hanukah is, however, a relatively minor holiday in the Jewish calendar
that's become more culturally significant because of its proximity to
Christmas, making it, yes, the Jewish Christmas in Western,
predominatnly Christian societies, but that wasn't the original
intention.

-S-