On the final night of Chanukah, the Levin family gathers for food, laughter, and candle lighting. At the head of the celebration are Morty and Greta, devoted grandparents whose lives revolve around Jewish traditions. Their children and grandchildren fill the house with warmth—until six-year-old Andrew pulls a Santa Claus figurine from his pocket.
Andrew is captivated by the Christmas lights across the street, and he longs for the same holiday magic in his own home. His innocent questions ignite a storm of conflict: Morty insists that Jewish traditions must not be diluted, while Andrew’s uncle Steven argues for blending customs. Family tensions rise as Greta and the others weigh in, exposing long-simmering disagreements about identity, belonging, and assimilation.
Morty tries to drive his point home by ordering Andrew to throw his Santa into the fireplace. The boy bursts into tears—then the impossible happens. With a scream and a cloud of soot, Santa Claus himself tumbles out of the chimney and into the Levin living room.
The family is stunned, caught between fear and awe. But this Santa is no stranger to Jewish tradition. To everyone’s shock, he asks to borrow a menorah and begins reciting the Chanukah blessings in a booming baritone, offering a perspective no one expects. Where Morty sees irreconcilable differences between traditions, Santa insists that cultures have borrowed from one another all along. Gifts, lights, and stories have always crossed boundaries.
As the candles flicker in the Levin home, Santa’s unexpected presence reframes the family’s heated arguments. For Andrew, Santa’s words offer comfort: he doesn’t have to choose between the magic of Christmas and the meaning of Chanukah—the best parts of Christmas were part of Chanukah the whole time.
Blending sharp comedy with heartfelt holiday warmth, Eighth Night is a short film about family, faith, and the surprising ways traditions can illuminate one another.
