(Ed: This is brought as an interesting idea and would be a good starting point for discussion and consultation with your LOR. Source: Hakhel reader)

Other Poskim discuss this and conclude that it is not a problem of chukas akum, as in all likelihood the akum’s minhag of giving gifts on their holidays was taken from us and not vice versa. (See Emes L’Yaakov from Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, Z’tl, Siman 670 in the footnote who says this.) The Ponovezer Rav, Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, Z’tl, said that after the Greeks forbade the Jewish children from learning Torah, their parents had to ‘bribe’ them with gifts to get them to learn once again.

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