Handmade Menorah
The Gift of Knowledge
You may already know how to light a menorah, but here are the directions for first-timers: The candles should be lit at sundown. Each night, a candle should be placed in the menorah from right to left. The number of candles inserted represents the number of nights of the holiday—one candle on the first night, two on the second night, and so on. The shamash (the raised helper candle in the middle) should be lit first and be used to light the other candles. You light the candles, using the shamash, from left to right. In other words, the candles are arranged from right to left, but the candles should be lit from left to right. A benediction should be read over the Hanukkah lights. The menorah should be placed in front of a window so that everyone can enjoy this festival of lights.
Light up someone's Hanukkah table by making this golden-accented menorah.
Time frame: Two to four hours including drying time
Level: Moderately easy
What you need:
- A piece of wood, approximately 17 x 4 inches
- Sandpaper
- Can of gold spray paint
- 10 wooden candle cups with a 7⁄8-inch hole (can be found in a craft store)
- Gold glitter
- Ten 11⁄2-inch wooden wheels (can be found in a craft store)
- Blue paint
- Paintbrush
- Glue gun or super glue
- Nine taper candles (blue or gold would look nice)
- Sand any rough edges off the board. Spray paint the board and candle cups gold. If desired, sprinkle gold glitter onto the board and cups before the paint dries. Allow the paint to dry.
- Paint the wheels blue and allow them to dry.
- Glue a wheel onto the bottom of each of the candle cups.
- Equally space nine candle cups (with wheels on the bottom) on the board and glue them to the board with a glue gun or super glue. Glue the remaining cup (with a wheel on the bottom) onto the top of the middle cup to form a candleholder in the middle that is higher than the other candleholders.
- Place tapers in the candleholders.
Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Making Great Gifts © 2001 by Marilee LeBon. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
To order this book visit the Idiot's Guide web site or call 1-800-253-6476.
