Gadol; rav yaakov kaminetzky famously defended chanukah presents, but he was in the minority; most gedolim discourage it as an import from kratzmich. As for the big menoros; chabad hold that it’s persumei nisa to light a menorah in public, but most poskim were not happy with it, as it has no source in halacha. Chabad compares it to a shul, but the difference is that… it’s a shul, and when chazal were mesaken the mitzvah, they made a takanah for a shul as well as the ikar din of ner ish ubayso. What they put in front of their houses (and on their cars) is less questionable, as they’re not making a bracha and they agree it’s just a simana b’alma. I don’t suspect it’s an import from kratzmich, because they’re doing it to be mefarsem haneis and that people who pass by may remember to light menorah etc
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