| Family First Feature |

Light Up Your Nights

By Esti Vago | November 16, 2021

Flames flicker by the window, while inside your children smile proudly by their creations. Here, three kid friendly crafts for items your kids will use over and over again as we light the menorah.

Crafts by Esti Vago
Photography by Chaya Miller

Light, Lighter, Lightest

Ombré dip-dyed candles look so pretty and sophisticated, yet are so simple to make.

You’ll need:

8 white taper candles
12–14 small Chanukah candles in the colors of your choice
Tall hot cup
Hot water

Instructions:

I recommend covering your surface with a disposable tablecloth before beginning.

1. Choose a color scheme and select 12–14 small Chanukah candles in that color. If there is more than one shade of the color, even better, the ombré effect will be stronger, but keep them in two separate piles, and use the lighter shade first.

2. Fill your hot cup with hot water. Break your small candles up over the cup, and let the wax melt in the water. Once it’s fully melted, dip your taper candle in all the way until the bottom of the cup and swiftly pull it out. Hold it for about a minute until it dries fully. Repeat with the rest of your candles.

3. For the next layer, reheat the water (in the microwave or add more hot water), and add more candles if needed. Dip your candles in, but not as deeply as the first time, and hold to dry again. Continue to repeat the same process, dipping it less and less deeply for each additional layer. As the layer of wax builds up, the color will get darker, creating an ombré effect. You can add your darker shade of wax at any of these subsequent rounds for a stronger color contrast.

The Dreidel’s Glow

Here’s a spin on the standard brachos card.

You’ll need:

Downloaded brachos template (download here)
Parchment stationery paper (not baking parchment paper)
Champagne flute
Electric tea light, white or multicolored
Scissors
Glue stick

Instructions:

1. Print the dreidel template on a sheet of parchment paper. Cut the dreidel template out.

2. Place your electric tea light in the champagne flute and turn it on.

3. Fold the dreidel along the fold lines, and glue the tabs around the cup part of the flute. Spin the dreidel to get to each brachah.

Hold That Match

For over 2,000 years we’ve been celebrating a small jug of oil that lasted eight days. Your very own handmade oil jug can have a chance to shine all eight nights of Chanukah too, while serving as a child-proof match holder.

You’ll need:

5.25 oz package air dry modeling clay (I recommend the Activa Hearty brand)
Terracotta (or similar color) paint
Gallon size ziplock bag
Empty pill container
2″ circle match-strike stickers

Instructions:

1. Fill your empty pill container with matches.

2. Place the white clay in a ziplock bag, and squirt in some paint.

3. Seal the bag, and knead the clay to combine well. Add more paint as needed. (Once the paint is fully incorporated, I haven’t found that it transfers color to hands or clothing.)

4. Turn the pill container upside down, and use the clay to form a jug shape around it. Keep the cap area clear. Attach a match-strike sticker to the cap. Allow the clay to fully dry.

The menorah, candles, and lighting supplies are compliments of Ner Mitzvah. www.nermitzvah.com

Lazy Latkes

This lazy Susan turned latke-filled frying pan is a neat way to keep all your menorah lighting paraphernalia organized and handy.

You’ll need:

Black lazy Susan (mine were ordered from Target)
Multi-brown yarn
4 popsicle sticks
Black and silver duct tape
Hot glue gun
Hot glue sticks

Instructions:

1. In the center of your lazy Susan, glue your yarn in a spiral form until it’s the size of an average latke. Cut the yarn and repeat the process until your frying pan is full with latkes.

2. Take two popsicle sticks, and set them up side by side. Take the next two popsicle sticks and set those up side by side, overlapping the first set about halfway up. Cover the popsicle stick formation with black duct tape, leaving about 4” of duct tape at one end. Using the remaining tape, attach the popsicle sticks to the lazy Susan tautly to form a handle. Use the silver tape to add accents to the handle to make it more authentic looking.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 768)

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