21 days till Hanukkah 2020!
I just looked back at my post from January 2020 – pre-pandemic. I was waxing nostalgic about having the extended family with us for four whole nights of Hanukkah. This year, we and many of you will be seeking new ways to celebrate the holiday in your homes - without extended families. But it doesn’t have to be a sad and lonely year. We just need to bring creativity and a new outlook to celebration.
To help fuel your planning, I am sharing ideas on Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JewishHolidaysInABox) for activities that are possible this Hanukkah. If you haven’t joined us on Facebook yet, please hop over.
To start us off, here are three ideas for this year:
#1 - Make your own candles
I purchased precut beeswax in a range of lovely colors last year. The “work” involved is even less than in this link from Joybillee Farm. We just warmed the wax in our hands a bit, pushed in a wick, then started rolling. The kids love seeing “their” candles in the menorah. We did this with children from 4 -9. Precut beeswax is available from many places, including ModernTribe.com.
#2 - Get some festive artwork up around the house
You can download our Happy Hanukkah Art & Activity Pak that includes a Hanukkah banner - or you can make your own banner. Or provide the kiddos with blue and silver paper - or white paper with silver and blue crayons - or whatever you have. The important part is to carve out time where they (or you and they) are happily sitting at the kitchen table making art. For even more ideas, check out our Pinterest page.
Design Your Own Happy Hanukkah Banner
#3 - Make a Hanukkah centerpiece.
Forget about anything formal. This year, we are likely to be with just our families. So pull together whatever dreidels, candles, gelt, or other Hanukkah symbols you have. Provide a dinner-size plate and invite your little ones to design a centerpiece that is in the middle of your dinner table for the whole holiday.
Check out our other Hanukkah games and materials:
Hanukkah Bingo
The award-winning, multi-generation Hanukkah game favorite for children 2 and up.
“Celebrate Hanukkah: How to Light Up Your Holiday“
Everything you need - from the basics to decorating ideas to Hanukkah blessings to candle-lighting tips and much more!
Hanukkah Parent Pack
Quick-reference, including kitchen fun (like how to make edible dreidels and edible menorahs)!
Happy Hanukkah Art & Activity Pack
You get pictures to use in decorating, illustrations ready to color, a design-your-own 6-foot-long Hanukkah banner, plus!
Hanukkah Blessings Tutorial
Learn how to pronounce and sing the Hanukkah blessings. Never be embarrassed again!
If you have ideas that would be perfect for this Hanukkah, please email me at [email protected], so I can share with our community.
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