FROM THE MAGAZINE

The Haim Sisters Consider Adam Sandler Their Mariah Carey of the Holiday Season

by Alex Hawgood
Photographs by Jeff Henrikson
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

Este Haim in a yellow knit dress, Alana Haim in a green sweater and brown pants, and Danielle Haim i...
From left: Este Haim wears a Jil Sander dress; Wempe bracelet; Maryam Nassir Zadeh boots. Alana Haim wears a Loewe sweater and pants; Maryam Nassir Zadeh sandals. Danielle Haim wears a Maryam Nassir Zadeh jacket, shirt, top, pants, belt, and sandals.
We may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

For the sisters Haim—Este, 35; Danielle, 32; and Alana, 29—Hanukkah is when family members come together and, as with most things related to the musical trio, put on one hell of a show. “Our family’s love language is food and music,” declares Este. “Every year, my mom breaks out her Yamaha nylon string and the same food processor she’s had since 1984,” says Alana, chuckling. Over the years, the siblings cum bandmates have shared holiday memories over crispy latkes and sufganiyot while harmonizing bits from “The Dreidel Song” and “Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah.” They’ve made their own contributions to the holiday music pantheon (“Haimukkah,” a track the band uploaded to Twitter in December 2017, features lyrics like “Light me up like I’m a fucking menorah”), but the sisters agree that their musical spin on ancient Judaic traditions barely holds a candle, let alone eight, to “The Chanukah Song,” a cheeky sing-along originally performed by Adam Sandler on Saturday Night Live. “Adam is like our Mariah,” says Alana.

Buying gifts for one another isn’t an entirely selfless act, given that they know that those items will end up in another sister’s closet. “We all steal each other’s stuff,” explains Alana. Finding the right presents for Mom and Dad is a more rewarding endeavor. “We love that we can spoil our parents, because now we have jobs,” says Alana. This year, that might mean socks by Brother Vellies, a Tekla bathrobe, or even a trip to Italy. “We want to wrap them in luxury,” says Este. One item Este is seriously considering gifting to her two sisters is a ceramic steam inhaler designed to keep throat and nasal passages hydrated—perfect for preconcert prep. “I think I got that intel from Adele,” explains Este.

The Haim Sisters’ Gift Guide

Hair by David Von Cannon for R+Co at A-Frame Agency; makeup by Romy Soleimani for Bobbi Brown at the Wall Group; special thanks: Electric Lady Studios; photo assistant: Jordan Zuppa; fashion assistant: Tori López; makeup assistant: Hinako Takagaki. Still lifes photographed by Devin Doyle; set design by Elaine Winter; styled by Christina Holevas.

This article was originally published on