This week begins the 8 day celebration in which families light the Menorah and celebrate the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah. While Hanukkah was not part of my religious or spiritual traditions growing up, light and miracles are two things we can all appreciate and every time I light a candle I take a moment to appreciate all that that little flame symbolizes. If you’ve been without electricity for a period of time (with the natural disasters we’ve experienced over the past decade, and especially the past few years, who hasn’t?), you may forget how miraculous it is to flip that switch and have the room fill with light. But it’s nothing short of a miracle that we have eyesight and light with which to see. Yesterday’s celebration of Thanksgiving here in the USA always makes me extra thankful for all we have. If you’re celebrating Hanukkah I’ve got a few ideas of food and fun to keep the kids busy while you shop.
Whole wheat challah
Challah french toast
Latkes 5 ways
Roast vegetable tsimmes with apricots
Gold and chocolate cookies
Jelly doughnut holes
Foil Menorah
Star punched paper hurricanes
Egg carton dreidel
Etched glasses
Table runner
Charmed napkin rings
Greeting card
Birdhouse Menorah
23 more fun and decorative ideas!
Whether you’re Jewish or not you’ll be seeing lots of candles over the next month with the holidays. I’ve talked about starting a thanksgiving practice in my newsletters and other places, one aspect of which is a reminder or trigger. Candle flames are a simple reminder to think of one thing to be thankful for. What are you celebrating today?
Laura Dickey 