If you're looking for a way to liven up your Hanukkah games of dreidel — and, let's face it, who isn't — you'll want to check out Staccabees™, a new twist on the classic that combines skill and strategy with the traditional four-sided top. Instead of taking and putting chocolate coins, players add or remove different-sized wooden cubes from a stack, depending on the roll of the dreidel.

Staccabees was invented by an aeronautical engineer and an internet project manager from Philadelphia looking for a way to liven up the traditional game of dreidel. (For those not familiar, the Wikipedia entry explains how spins of the top determine puts and takes from a pot.)

I saw the game this week and was very impressed with the craftsmanship; sturdily made from solid wood, designed to be used for years. And the gameplay looks simple enough for a 6-year-old to learn, but interesting enough to hold a youngster's attention for the average 20-minute game.

Your kids may miss the gelt. But hey, you can always invent your own variation.

Resources
Staccabees
Read about Hanukkah on Wikipedia

Full disclosure: I know the makers of this game, but I did not receive any compensation or promotional material.