Eight Nights of Chanukah Music: I Saw Hannukah Harry Beat Up Santa

It wouldn't be a holiday if there weren't some extremely kitschy novelty songs floating around. I really never gave much thought to Hannukah Harry's relationship to Santa Claus. Had you asked me to think about it, I would have said they were both independent contractors who didn't really have much reason to interact except on those nights when their respective holidays overlapped. This song not only asserts that they are brothers, but that they both hang out at the North Pole.

Of course, Hannukah Harry isn't all that old a tradition. His first appearance was in December, 1989. Who would have thought a Saturday Night Live sketch would have such an enduring legacy? Clearly NBC did not as they don't have the full video available on their website. Which is sad because the idea that Hannukah Harry would deliver gifts while Santa is under the weather is pretty awesome and appropriate to the season, not to mention the full sketch is all about how, deep down, no matter who we worship or what we believe, we are all alike.



So, sure, Harry and Santa might engage in occasional sibling shenanigans, but in the end, they respect each other and want to live in a world where they both can coexist. It turns out, the North Pole is big enough for the both of them.