This year isn’t exactly a Thanksgivvukah – but it sure is close. The first candle is Sunday night, November 28th. Note – JewishHolidaysInABox.com will be closing in a few months. To get digital copies of any of our e-books or games for Hanukkah, Passover, and Rosh Hashanah or e-books about Hanukkah, Shabbat, and Passover, visit our SHOP page soon. Last year, I wrote about how many of us would be seeking new ways to celebrate, without family in our homes, because of the pandemic. This year, I hope that many of us will be with family and friends. But many of us are still being … [Read more...]
Stickers for Jewish Crafting
I am a big fan of stickers for Jewish art projects. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I am not a talented crafts person. But I love to do all kinds of projects with little ones. Coloring. Collage. Cooking. Writing stories. So I'm always on the look-out for simple things that I can use. Stickers are a favorite go-to. When I’m placing an order from places like Current or any of the Judaica shops, or shopping at Target, WalMart, dollar stores, or TJ Maxx, I’ll give a quick check to see if they have stickers that I can pair with holidays, like: Apple stickers for … [Read more...]
Homemade Hanukkah Gifts – Art
Like many of you, we are an interfaith family – with a rare opportunity this year to weave together our traditions. Hanukkah begins on December 22. When we gather this year, we hope to be together for several nights of Hanukkah, including Christmas. But we want to downplay the gifts. SO – we will follow my daughter’s lead and create themed nights, as they do when they are home for Hanukkah. Games night. Books night. Outside exploring night. And while we have all decided to limit gifts to one per child, we want them to understand the pleasure of giving to others, too. My hope … [Read more...]
TaDa – How to Make a Dreidel Cake
Is a dreidel cake better than any other Hanukkah treat? Not really, but . . . I love all kinds of desserts for Hanukkah – from the cookies I made when I was a kid and that I made with our girls and our niece (with cookie cutters and colored sugar) to jelly-filled doughnuts to chocolate gelt. But there is something truly festive about a cake for a family gathering. This year, why not try making a dreidel-shaped cake? You can use a simple box mix and bake it in a 9” x 13” x 2” pan. Dreidel Cake Directions Cut 2 triangles off the bottom. Then place the … [Read more...]
Great Excuse for a Bonfire – Lag B’Omer
Celebrating Lag B’Omer – think bonfires, picnics, ball games, and roasting marshmallows – reminds me of my happy places and might be perfect for your family, too. For me, it’s a (giant) step back to some of my favorite activities as a kid. As a young teen, I attended Jewish summer camps where the magic of nature was truly the major part of our experience. On Saturday nights at Tel Yehudah in upstate New York, we walked to a clearing in the woods where a huge bonfire was lit. Flames shot straight up into the black night sky and the crackling sound of the wood, along with the singing and … [Read more...]