The Festival of Lights is a celebration of the Maccabean revolt, the subsequent rededication of the Holy Temple, and the miracle of the one-day supply of oil that lasted for eight days. One great way to celebrate this holiday is by bringing some festive beauty into your home. Creative Chanukah decorations can look spectacular while also serving as a reminder of why there is a holiday in the first place. Here are some ideas:
Menorah
Photo by sarahalves, sxc.hu
One of the main symbols of Chanukah, the Menorah should be a featured piece of your Chanukah décor. When the Holy Temple was retaken and rededicated by the Maccabees, they found only enough oil to keep the Temple's menorah lit for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted a full eight days, which is why the Chanukah menorah has eight branches rather than the seven branches found on the typical menorah. You can use a real menorah with candles for the nightly candle lighting, and you can purchase electric menorahs with light bulbs to place in the windows of your home. These provide a meaningful and classy look to your home during Chanukah.
Other SymbolsYou can incorporate any Chanukah or general Jewish symbols in your Chanukah decorations. Some of these may include:
- Dreidels - There are many decorative dreidels available for purchase that would be a great compliment to your décor.
- The Star of David - Named after King David of ancient Israel, the Star of David is a symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.
- Scrolls - The Hebrew Scriptures are often written on scrolls. Either real or decorative scrolls are good options.
- Stone tablets - Stone tablets with the Ten Commandments are another common Jewish symbol that could be part of your Chanukah decorations.
If you're still looking for more ideas, you can search online and find any of a number of websites that sell various Chanukah decorations.
Colors
Photo by wampa986, photobucket.com
Finally, the traditional colors of Chanukah and Judaism (blue, white, and silver) are essential to your décor.
For your dining area, you could try a blue tablecloth with white placemats or vice versa. You could further accent your table with blue or white napkins. You may also be able to find table runners, cloths, and placemats designed specifically for Chanukah. In your living room you could cover your couch with a blue couch cover, and then add white pillows.
You can purchase blue and white holiday lights to string about your home. Run them up a banister or across the mantle. You could also use lights around the outside of your home, running them across your rooftop and placing them around the trees or shrubs in your yard.
Decorating your home for Chanukah can be a lot of fun and a great family activity, but it also serves the purpose of helping to honor Jewish tradition and history.