Hanukkah, Oh Chanukah

Any which way you spell it, the Festival of Lights will be here before you know it.  This year, Chanukah begins Tuesday evening, December 16.  It's just two weeks away, but you have plenty of time to create unique Chanukah decor and gifts.

One of my favorite projects is this "Chanukah-in-a-Jar."  There are many variations of recipes in a jar for delicious cookies, soups, natural scrubs, and more.  In fact, I've even altered tennis ball cans for brownies-in-a-tennis-ball-can recipes. 

For this project, I use a clear plastic pail that is 6" tall with a 4" diameter.  It has a lid as well as a handle, which lends itself nicely for attaching ribbons and tags.

Start by gathering craft supplies to embellish the container.  Include printed and solid scrapbook or gift wrapping paper, ribbon, punches, stamps, ink, tags, charms, metal labels, etc.

 

At this point, embellish the pail.  This is what I did.  Cut a strip of cardstock 2" x 18".  If using a 12" x 12" piece of paper, you will have to cut two pieces and tape them together.  Then cut a coordinating piece of your printed or gift wrap paper  to 1-1/2" x 18"  Using a dry adhesive, tape these two long pieces together.  Adhere ribbon to center of strip.

Using a 2-1/2" circle punch, cut a circle with glitter paper.  Punch out two smaller circles (I used a scalloped punch, too) from the solid cardstock.  Stamp image on smaller circle.

Adhere long strips to pail.  Then adhere the circles to the pail, covering up the seams.  (This then becomes the front of the pail.)

Using varied textures and widths, cut 6" strands of coordinating ribbon to pail handle.  Cover the inset of the lid with paper using decoupage sealer.  When dry, adhere label printed on cardstock and metal label holder to lid.  Tie charm to metal holder.

Stamp "Happy Hanukkah" and "To/From" images to tags.

You can find wooden dreidels at most party stores or in the Chanukah section of your local large discount store this time of year.  Decoupage top of the dreidel, using 1-1/4" square punch.  Punch a small hole in center of the paper square, which will fit over the dreidel stem.

Then choose the "ingredients" for your jar.  I suggest an entire box of 44 menorah candles (enough candles for each night), the large dreidel, a small box of matches, chocolate gelt and candle blessings. 

For the blessings, I printed the Hebrew, transliteration and translation on both sides of a 4" x 6" cardstock, rolled it up and tied it with blue & white twine.

 The match box is embellished with cardstock and a stamped image that reads "Happy Hanukkah".

Arrange the candles and other "ingredients" inside the pail. 

That's it!  Here is the completed Chanukah-in-a-Jar:

If you would like a copy of the blessings document, leave a comment with your email, and I will be glad to send you a copy.

These Chanukah-in-a-Jar make great gifts for children, grandchildren, teachers and hostess gifts.

You may also like these holiday projects:

Display your Menorah Candles in Style

Add Color to your Blue & White Decor

Linking up here

and

Makeovers & Motherhood

Display Your Menorah Candles in Style

You might think Chanukah is early this year.  However, it's right on time, like it is every year!  According to the Jewish Calendar, Chanukah is always the 25th day of Kislev, which this year coincides with this coming Saturday, December 8th. 

 

It seems to change every year because the Jewish Calendar takes into account both the cycles of the moon and the sun.  To make up the difference between the solar year, which is 365 days, and the lunar year, which is 354 days, the Jewish Calendar adds one extra "leap month" about 7 times every 19 years.  I agree--that's a lot of math to calculate.  Since it's been awhile since my algebra class, let's just move on to the craft project!

 

It's always wonderful to polish the beautiful silver menorah and dust off the colorful ceramic Chanukiot.  However, have you ever thought how drab the store-bought box of candles looks sitting next to the beautiful menorahs?  

 

Here is a crafty way to display your menorah candles in style. 

 

In addition to a box of Chanukah candles, you will need the following supplies:

 

- Libbey 4" x 4" square glass votive holder
- Scrapbook Paper or Gift Wrap
- Ribbon
- Flowers
- Buttons
- Dreidel or Menorah Charm
- Tag punch or ready-made tags
- Chanukah stamps
- Ink Pad
- Mod Podge & brush
- Strong double-sided adhesive tape

Instructions:

Make a template measuring 1-1/2" wide x 13-1/2" long, creating a slight arch. The paper band must arch to accommodate the width difference between the top and bottom circumference of the glass. Wrap the template around the glass to be sure it fits, overlapping the ends. 

Trace the template onto a 12" x 12" scrapbook paper, angling the template to fit the paper and cut out along your traced markings. To save paper, you can cut two sections and piece them together, adding an extra 1/2" for overlap.

Mod Podge the paper band and let dry. Using good adhesive, adhere band to the glass, gently pulling it taut, and overlap the ends. 

Embellish the candle holder using ribbon, flowers, charms, die cuts and stamped images on punched out tags.

Place the candles inside the glass holder, and you have a beautiful way to display the menorah candles throughout the eight nights.

 

These make wonderful hostess gifts. Wrap the entire candle holder with clear cellophane. Tie with ribbon and a matching tag, and it's ready to go!

And for those of you who like to plan ahead of time, next year we will be eating latkes for Thanksgiving, as the 25th of Kislev falls the day before Turkey Day.  Oy!

For those of you celebrating Chanukah, wishing you and your family a very Happy Chanukah full of beautiful light and miracles!


Sharing this holiday project at these parties:

French Country Cottage
Ginger Snap Crafts
Practically Functional 

Keeping it Simple Crafts
A Bowl Full of Lemons
Sewing Barefoot
I Should be Mopping the Floor
Or So She Says

Twigg Studios
Two Yellow Birds
From my Porch to Yours
SNAP!
Jann Olson
Yesterday on Tuesday
Katherine's Corner
House of Hepworth's
Night Owl Crafting
Mine for the Making
Beyond the Picket Fence
Bloom Designs
One Artsy Mama
Answer is Chocolate
My Repurposed Life
Life as We Know It by Paula
504 Main
The Thriftiness Miss
Craftionary
Serenity Now
I Gotta Create
Crafty Scrappy Happy
Alderberry Hill
Doodles & Stitches
Shaken Together
clean and scentsible
This Gal Cooks
The Chicken Chick
Cupcakes & Crinoline
Three Mango Seeds
It's so Very Cheri
Setting for Four
barns and noodles

 

Add Color to Your Chanukah Decor

                       

                                                                     

Growing up in San Francisco, our winters didn't consist of "dashing through the snow" or making snow angels -- we tried, but there's not a lot one can make out of dense fog. Unless you count blowing fog rings out of the chilly night air.

We would count the Christmas trees we passed while riding here and there. The holiday trees were so colorful, especially the ones that stood on a spinning table, rotating beautiful colors around the window panes.

We celebrated the eight nights of Chanukah. Instead of colorful lights, we decorated our home in just two colors: blue & white.   Blue & white hanging dreidels, blue & white tablecloths, blue & white lights around the living room bookcase...you name it, our decor was simply blue & white.  

Chanukah gift wrap could only be found in shades of blue and white. Or maybe, silver, if you looked hard enough.

Chanukah decor has changed over the last few decades. Now Chanukah comes in every color imaginable. Gift wrap, menorahs, decorations, tableware, and spinning dreidels come in bright pinks, greens, yellows and more.

I decided to alter a mundane wooden serving tray in the new "Chanukah colors." I found bright fuchsia, lime green & turquoise gift wrap in my Chanukah stash.  It was perfect. 

I painted the tray with two coats of a dark pink/fuchsia color. I cut a piece of gift wrap to fit snugly inside the tray and adhered it with Mod Podge.  When dry to the touch, I covered it with another coat of MP. This got me thinking...so I altered a tile coaster to match.  Just need one more coaster

and my tray is ready for company.

 

 

 

Featured here:

earth911 diy recycled hanukkah decor

 

Partying here: 

Bloom Designs

I Gotta Create

Not Just a Housewife

Sugar Bee Crafts

Cowgirl Up Link Party

Beyond the Picket Fence

Between Naps on the Porch

Blackberry Vine

Skip to my Lou

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Craft-O-Maniac

Mad in Crafts

Making the World Cuter

You're Talking Too Much

Setting for Four

cupcakes and crinoline

Keeping it Simple

Alderberry Hill Make the Scene Monday

Homemaker on a Dime

Twiggs Studio

Three Mango Seeds

It's So Very Cheri

Sew Darn Crafty

What's Shakin'?

POsitively SPlendid

Life as we know it by Paula

I Should be Mopping The Floor

It's Overflowing with Creativity

I{heart}Naptime

Nifty Thrifty Things

Flamingo Toes

Two Martini Lunch

Raising Imperfection

Creative Jewish Mom

Serenity Now

One More Time:

Answer is Chocolate

One Artsy Mama