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Maimonides codifies the biblical prohibition of keeping gentile customs (Laws of Idolatry 11:1):

אין הולכין בחקות העובדי כוכבים ולא מדמין להן לא במלבוש ולא בשער וכיוצא בהן שנאמר ולא תלכו בחקות הגוים. ונאמר ובחקותיהם לא תלכו. ונאמר השמר לך פן תנקש אחריהם

We don't follow the mores of the idolators, nor do we imitate them, neither in dress or hairstyle, etc., for it says, "and go not in the mores of the gentiles," and it says, "and in their mores go not", and it says, "guard yourself lest you stumble after them".

This idea perhaps exemplifies the underlying ideological battle between the Maccabees and the Mithyavnim (Hellenized Jews). Hellenism believed in a religious "pluralism" antithetical to the Jewish claim of one G-d, and persecuted the Jews for their religious chauvinism (see Maharal, Ner Mitzvah).

Nonetheless, after close to two millennia exiled among the nations, it is perhaps no surprise that many customs appear to have infiltrated into the Jewish mimetic tradition. Perhaps this is most marked with regard to the festive practices associated with the pagan-to-Christian holidays, particularly Saturnalia/Christmas.

Ironically, among these practices appear to be the (perhaps commercially-initiated) sending of Chanuka cards, giving of Chanuka presents, giving of foil-wrapped chocolate "gelt" to children, and gambling, particularly with dreidels. (To my knowledge, Chanuka bushes have not infiltrated yet into the more traditional Jewish communities.)

Do any rabbinic authorities discuss (in writing or orally) the permissibility (or lack thereof) of these specific customs with regard to their (possible) non-Jewish roots. (I'm particularly interested in references that explicitly consider that the customs' origins are possibly non-Jewish).

Loewian
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    It's long struck me as odd that some Jews celebrate a holiday about resisting assimilation by... doing that stuff. – Monica Cellio Dec 07 '15 at 20:14
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    possible partail dupe http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/3572/759 – Double AA Dec 07 '15 at 20:18
  • Re. Chanuka bushes: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/50892 – Fred Dec 07 '15 at 20:24
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    this question rather sounds like a Festivus ceremony... – wfb Dec 07 '15 at 20:46
  • @wfb :D ....... – Loewian Dec 07 '15 at 20:47
  • This answer has some interesting sources: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/50430/501 – Danny Schoemann Dec 08 '15 at 09:21
  • Why would a dreidel count? Is gambling limited to non Jews? Can Jews not drive Toyotas, since they weren't invented by Jews, and perhaps weren't first driven by Jews? – mevaqesh Dec 04 '17 at 15:46
  • @mevaqesh If it was specifically associated with the festivities of the Christian holiday, that might be a reason to say it should be specifically banned from Jewish festivities. By your reasoning, can Jews not decorate their homes and synagogues with evergreen boughs? – Loewian Dec 05 '17 at 03:32
  • You are assuming there is something distinctly Christian about it but not providing any evidence. I can only imagine you are referring to the unsourced guess that: "Some historians suggest that gambling with teetotums became more popular at Christmastime when they were still used by Christians, which naturally transitioned to Hanukkah". It would be best to lay out the evidence. Why should a posek forbid something based on an unsourced guess? Adding in relevant info regarding halakha and realia would improve the post. – mevaqesh Dec 05 '17 at 04:13
  • @mevaqesh My understanding is that we're generally pretty strict about even practices that have no known origin in idolatrous practices out of a concern that that may well be their source. (I believe there is a famous machlokes gr"a and ram"o on the topic.) – Loewian Dec 05 '17 at 04:39
  • @mevaqesh also: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/56872/aesthetics-and-chukoseihem – Loewian Dec 05 '17 at 04:40
  • Obviously editing in what your understanding on which you predicate the question is, and why you think that, would improve the post. – mevaqesh Dec 05 '17 at 04:47

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