Hanukkah, celebrated this year on December 16 through December 24 by over 5 million people in the U.S. and over 15 million people worldwide people will commemorated by lighting the menorah every night for eight days, according to yahooanwers.com.
The origins of Hanukkah go back more than 2,000 years to an area that is now Israel when Syrian king named Antiochus ruled.
The Jewish people who lived under his rule were ordered to worship the Greek gods, according to pamf.org. Jews in opposition were led by Judah Maccabee, and his four brothers in a rebellion against the Syrians that lasted three years resulting in the banishment of the Syrians thus allowing Jews to once again worship their god in the temple of Jerusalem.
All of the Greek symbols were swept out of the temple, on the 25th day of Kislev, of the Jewish month. To commemorate this event the Jews wanted to have an eternal flame,
but were left with only find a tiny amount of oil, which they thought would last just a day. But they lit it anyway, and to everyone’s great surprise, according to legend, it burned for eight days.
Today, people celebrate Hanukkah to remember defeating the Syrians and reviving the Temple of Jerusalem. Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days to mark the eight days the oil burned.
Creating a gift or decorative object to keep or give to friend is one fun and thoughtful way of celebrating this ancient and important holiday.
Star Punched Paper Hurricanes: www.Marthastewart.com
Supplies:
Template
Decorative paper
Hurricane vase
Large sponge
Awl, T pin, or thumbtack
Japanese hole punch
Double-sided tape
How to make it:
Download template, and print to desired size.
Cut decorative paper so it’s flush with the top of hurricane vase and the paper ends overlap by about 1/2 inch.
Lay template on top of decorative paper, then place both on top of dry sponge. Use awl to transfer the pattern.
Following the pattern, punch decorative paper with Japanese hole punch.
Wrap paper around hurricane vase, and secure with tape.
Wooden Block Menorah
Supplies:
Eraser (at least 1 inch square)
Card stock
Length of hemp fabric, hemmed at edges
Foam brush
Fabric paint in gold
Starry Stamped Runner template
How to make it:
Print and cut out triangle and hexagon templates. Trace triangle onto eraser; cut out triangle.
Trace hexagon onto card stock, and cut out. Place on fabric.
Use brush to paint 1 side of triangle. Stamp a triangle along each side of hexagon to make a star. Repeat.
Follow instructions on fabric paint for drying.
Glitter Dreidels Centerpiece
Supplies:
Wooden dreidels
Blue, gold, and purple glitter
Large glass container
How to make it:
Coat plain wooden dreidels in fine glitter for a display-worthy centerpiece.
Hold each dreidel by its handle and brush all but one side with clear-drying white glue.
Sprinkle with glitter, and let dreidel rest on plain side.
Once dry, glue and glitter plain side of dreidel and handle.
Once dry, arrange dreidels in large glass containers.
Hanukkah Window Stars
Supplies:
Vellum, in gold or blue, $18.90 for 50 sheets, paperpresentation.com
Micro-hole punch (for small star)
Needle and thread
Screw punch (for large star)
Large and Small Triangle Templates
How to make it:
Print small triangle template, and cut out
Trace twice onto vellum to make 2 triangles, and cut out
Place together to make Star of David
Punch a hole at each corner of central hexagon (as indicated on template), and 1 more halfway along hexagon’s top side
Starting at top center, weave thread through holes all the way around design until back at the top