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Why are Hanukkah and Purim considered minor Jewish festivals?

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Circular diagram of the Jewish religious year showing Hebrew months around the outer ring and Gregorian months inside, with major holidays and fasts such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Passover, and Purim labeled with their dates. — Jewish religious year The months and holidays of the Jewish religious year.

Hanukkah and Purim are classified as minor festivals in the Jewish religious year primarily because they are not mentioned in the Torah, which distinguishes them from the major Pilgrim Festivals and High Holy Days.12

Because they were instituted by Jewish authorities during the Persian and Greco-Roman periods rather than being mandated by the Torah, they are considered to have lesser solemnity. A key practical distinction is that, unlike the major holidays where work is prohibited, work restrictions are not enforced during Hanukkah and Purim. While they are celebrated as joyous occasions with specific traditions—such as the lighting of the menorah for Hanukkah and the reading of the Book of Esther for Purim—their lack of formal work prohibitions leads to their categorization as minor festivals.12345