Decorating
Decorating: Prepare Your Home For a Happy Hanukkah Celebration
Follow these tips for inspiration on how to prepare your home for the Festival of Lights
This year, Hanukkah (or Chanukah) falls on the eve of 16 December. The Jewish Festival of Lights, which lasts for eight days, celebrates the Maccabees’ struggle to freely practise their religion under the Syrian-Greek occupation of Jerusalem some 2,500 years ago. After successfully reclaiming Jerusalem from the occupiers, the Holy Temple, destroyed during the conflict, had to be rebuilt. The Maccabees wanted to light the menorah, the seven-branched candelabra, in the temple, but could only find a small jar of oil sufficient for one day’s use. However, the oil miraculously lasted eight days, which is why Hanukkah celebrations today feature plenty of foods cooked in oil.
Get your home ready in time for Hanukkah and enjoy the holiday by spending time with family, preparing delicious foods, lighting the menorah, and getting everyone together for plenty of games, songs and stories.
Get your home ready in time for Hanukkah and enjoy the holiday by spending time with family, preparing delicious foods, lighting the menorah, and getting everyone together for plenty of games, songs and stories.
Decorate with blue and white
Blue and white are the traditional colours of Hanukkah, and are often accented with gold and silver. Use varying shades of blue, from powerful aquamarine to pretty pastels and soft grey-blues, when decorating your home with garlands, bunting and banners, then accent with gold and silver ornaments.
You can also use this colour scheme to display your menorah in eye-catching ways. Although beeswax candles are a popular choice, other options are available for decorative purposes. These minimalist candlesticks with LED flames give the traditional classic a stylish twist. However, menorah candles should be lit with an actual flame each evening after nightfall during the holiday.
Discover the appeal of a classic blue and white scheme
Blue and white are the traditional colours of Hanukkah, and are often accented with gold and silver. Use varying shades of blue, from powerful aquamarine to pretty pastels and soft grey-blues, when decorating your home with garlands, bunting and banners, then accent with gold and silver ornaments.
You can also use this colour scheme to display your menorah in eye-catching ways. Although beeswax candles are a popular choice, other options are available for decorative purposes. These minimalist candlesticks with LED flames give the traditional classic a stylish twist. However, menorah candles should be lit with an actual flame each evening after nightfall during the holiday.
Discover the appeal of a classic blue and white scheme
Add DIY flair
Hanukkah is a time to celebrate miracles and be inspired by stories of overcoming adversity in the face of hardship. Homemade garlands, signs and ornaments are a great way to channel the spirit of the holiday while also getting the kids involved. Mantelpiece toppers, Stars of David, paper chains and papier-mâché dreidels (four-sided spinning tops) are all creative and fun projects for young and old alike.
Hanukkah is a time to celebrate miracles and be inspired by stories of overcoming adversity in the face of hardship. Homemade garlands, signs and ornaments are a great way to channel the spirit of the holiday while also getting the kids involved. Mantelpiece toppers, Stars of David, paper chains and papier-mâché dreidels (four-sided spinning tops) are all creative and fun projects for young and old alike.
Scatter some gelt
During Hanukkah, parents may gift their children small sums of money – or gelt – in order to encourage them to donate to charity. Generosity is an important component of Hanukkah. You can channel this spirit of giving by stringing up plastic coins in order to represent the bestowing of money. If you don’t have plastic coins, make some from gold and silver foil, or try chocolate money as a sweet alternative.
During Hanukkah, parents may gift their children small sums of money – or gelt – in order to encourage them to donate to charity. Generosity is an important component of Hanukkah. You can channel this spirit of giving by stringing up plastic coins in order to represent the bestowing of money. If you don’t have plastic coins, make some from gold and silver foil, or try chocolate money as a sweet alternative.
Here, tiny dreidels have been gathered in a vase and then topped with hydrangeas to create an eye-catching table centrepiece. Stick with the traditional blue and white colour scheme accented with gold when decorating your table.
Explore modern centrepieces for your dining table
Explore modern centrepieces for your dining table
Reinvent Hanukkah dinner
For a twist on a traditional Hanukkah dinner, why not take advantage of the holiday colours’ natural brightness and create a fun and cheery buffet instead? That way, your family and guests can nibble on their favourite treats while having plenty of time to mingle. By allowing guests to make their own toppings and serve themselves, you also get more time to enjoy the festivities.
For a twist on a traditional Hanukkah dinner, why not take advantage of the holiday colours’ natural brightness and create a fun and cheery buffet instead? That way, your family and guests can nibble on their favourite treats while having plenty of time to mingle. By allowing guests to make their own toppings and serve themselves, you also get more time to enjoy the festivities.
Serve traditional food
Take advantage of Hanukkah’s celebration of all things cooked in oil and whip up some delicious potato latkes (pancakes) with apple sauce, blintzes (thin pancakes), cheese fritters, doughnuts and more.
Take advantage of Hanukkah’s celebration of all things cooked in oil and whip up some delicious potato latkes (pancakes) with apple sauce, blintzes (thin pancakes), cheese fritters, doughnuts and more.
Make cookies in the shape of dreidels and Stars of David, a project that’s useful for enlisting the help of your kids (or friends).
Make space for your gathering
Hanukkah is about gathering with your friends and family to celebrate the belief in miracles and sing songs and tell stories. Make sure your living room has plenty of seating to accommodate your guests and allow for comfortable conversation and storytelling. Ottomans and folding chairs provide excellent last-minute seating solutions if you’re short on surface area.
Above all, enjoy yourself and have a happy Hanukkah!
TELL US…
Do you celebrate Hanukkah? How do you like to decorate your home for the holiday? We’d love to see photos in the Comments below.
Hanukkah is about gathering with your friends and family to celebrate the belief in miracles and sing songs and tell stories. Make sure your living room has plenty of seating to accommodate your guests and allow for comfortable conversation and storytelling. Ottomans and folding chairs provide excellent last-minute seating solutions if you’re short on surface area.
Above all, enjoy yourself and have a happy Hanukkah!
TELL US…
Do you celebrate Hanukkah? How do you like to decorate your home for the holiday? We’d love to see photos in the Comments below.
Although the original menorah of the Hanukkah story is a seven-branched candelabra, menorahs today usually have nine branches, eight to commemorate the number of days the oil kept the candles burning in the temple, and one for the main lighting candle, the shamash.
Menorahs come in a wide range of styles and materials, from understated ones, like this, to elaborated gilded and engraved ones.