Dec 3rd 2009 5:22AM
By Clare Goggin

The menorah represents the holiday of Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday in honor of a miracle. Public menorahs started popping up around the country in 1974 and, not long after that, celebrants were parading menorahs through towns to share their joyful holiday with the world. It was a logical next step to start strapping these holiday symbols to the top of cars, no?

The first recorded Menorah parade happened in Brooklyn in 1977: a group of students began the tradition when they caravaned through the streets with menorahs strapped to the hoods of their cars as they made their way to a menorah lighting. After it was blessed by a respected rabbi, the tradition spread across the country.

Today, you can find car-top menorah parades in New York, Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin and even in Las Vegas. CarMenorah.com, a car-top menorah retailer, provides these festive decorations to cities not just all over the country, but around the world. It's one of the more unique Hanukkah traditions but it truly brings the meaning of the holiday to the world.