Money quote:
The very first Chanukah was a delayed Sukkot. Sukkot traditionally required going to the Temple, but on the correct date for Sukkot, the Temple was still under Seleucid control, so it was not celebrated properly. The Maccabees cleverly scheduled the Temple's grand reopening on the anniversary of its sacking, and celebrated Sukkot like it's supposed to be... That is... [t]he reason Chanukah is eight days (instead of seven) is because it was a delayed Sukkot, which has eight days.BONUS MIS-NAGID POST: The "secretly atheist frum Jew" has declared war on the "born again Jew" No, of course it isn't a fair fight. Yes, it all brings to mind the old line about having a battle of wits with an unarmed man. Still, a good read.