Hanukkah offers a perfect opportunity to gather as a family and celebrate the long history of Jewish tradition surrounding the lighting of the menorah. Whether you’re trying to plan Hanukkah activities for kids or for adults, you can’t go wrong with DIY crafts. Hanukkah (also known as “Chanukah”) crafts are so much more special than the generic Hanukkah decorations and toys you can buy at the store. When you actually work to make something beautiful and then use it as part of your Hanukkah celebration, it makes each of the eight days and nights even more special.
But if this is your first time diving into the world of holiday crafting, you might have a few important questions. First and foremost, what are some common examples of Hanukkah crafts? What are fun Hanukkah crafting ideas for elementary students? What about teens? Finally, where can you find high-quality wooden Hanukkah crafts to get started on your holiday project?
In today’s guide, we will answer all of these questions and more, so let’s get started!
Hanukkah cutouts
As you think about Hanukkah, your mind is probably filled with familiar images: the lighting of the menorah, children spinning dreidels, and more general symbols of Jewish identity, like the Star of David. These images can work as the starting point for your Hanukkah crafts.
At Woodpeckers, we offer a wide selection of sturdy cutouts that represent Hanukkah and all that it stands for. In the sections below, we’ll take a closer look at some of our most popular Hanukkah cutouts and how they can be used to brighten up your home during the holiday.
Menorah cutouts
While you’ll certainly want a real menorah to light your candles for the eight nights of Hannukah, it can also be fun to decorate your home, workspace, or classroom with Menorah cutouts. These are especially good crafting cutouts for elementary-aged kids, as they can add paper candles and paper “flames” to represent the lighting of the real Menorah. And if you shop at Woodpeckers, there are lots of different Menorah cutout designs to meet your preferences and your budget.
Dreidel cutouts
Wooden dreidel cutouts are another great way to decorate for Hannukah. While you won’t actually be able to play the game with these cutouts, you can decorate them with the different Hebrew letters. These are ideal for hanging in your home, especially in areas where children (or adults) will be playing with real dreidels!
Star of David cutouts
Star of David cutouts offer a simple, easy way to display your Jewish identity and heritage with pride. Whether you choose to hang one on your front door or above a window inside your home, you can’t go wrong with this six-pointed craft. You can also decorate the Star of David by painting it the traditional blue color, or you may opt for a color and design that’s more in keeping with your personal tastes.
Oil jug cutouts
As we’re sure you know, oil plays a big part in the history and tradition of Hannukah. A small quantity of oil was able to keep the menorah at the Second Temple in Jerusalem burning for eight nights. Oil jug cutouts make it easy to remind people of the original meaning of the holiday. They’re also a great tool for teaching younger kids and even teens about Hannukah and its significance.
Gift box cutouts
Many people who celebrate Hanukkah use the opportunity to exchange gifts with loved ones. If you’re throwing a Hannukah party, you could even use a decorated gift box cutout to hang over the gift table. This way, everybody knows where to leave their gifts when they arrive and where to pick up their gift bags when they leave!
DIY dreidel craft
While wooden dreidel cutouts are fun to look at, you’ll likely want a real dreidel to enjoy the classic Hannukah game in your home. Fortunately, Woodpeckers offers DIY wooden dreidels that you can paint on your own. Of course, you can decorate your dreidels however you like, but if you want them to look like the traditional dreidel of centuries past, you’ll want to draw or paint 4 Hebrew letters, 1 on each side of the dreidel:
- “Nun”
- “Gimel”
- “Hey”
- “Shin” (or “Pey” if used in Israel)
Displaying Hanukkah crafts
You might have a lot of fun creating Hanukkah crafts, but the real fun comes when you get to display them for all to see! There’s still plenty of room to get creative with your designs, but there’s also a lot of variety in the way you showcase your creations. Here are a few of our favorite ideas for displaying your special Hanukkah crafts:
- Cutout Wall Ornaments: Since our Hanukkah cutouts are flat and between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch thick, they are easy to hang anywhere in the home. You can put your newly crafted Star of David, dreidel, menorah, oil pitcher, or gift box cutout over a dining table or near the entrance of your home. This will immediately help guests know that you’re celebrating Hanukkah and provide your household with a daily reminder of your proud Jewish heritage!
- Table Displays: Table displays are often much more visible and, in some cases, interactive! A cutout menorah (with a stand) is great for young children who want to have their own menorah to decorate, while a gift box cutout can help bring a festive touch to coffee tables or other areas of your home.
- Gifts: If you plan to give out gifts during Hanukkah, you can add some homemade toy dreidels with chocolate coins and any other keepsakes you’d like to include! Y ou can make each year’s festivities even more memorable with hand-painted dreidels and toys!
- Place Cards: Whenever you get together with friends and family during the Festival of Lights, there’s a good chance that you’ll enjoy a beautiful party together. Even if you just plan to celebrate with family or a small group of friends, you can make the dining table really stand out with personalized place cards. These can be held up with any of our wooden cutout stands and combined with Hannukah-themed crafts and decorations!
As you can see, there are TONS of ways to put Hannukah crafts to good use. At Woodpeckers, we appreciate the importance of holidays like Hanukkah and want to make sure that crafters have the tools they need to make each of the eight nights of Hanukkah special. And even if you don’t get a chance to make your favorite Hanukkah crafts this year, we’d still like to wish you and all your loved ones a happy Hanukkah!
Did you enjoy our Hannukah crafts guide? Be sure to let us know in the comments and check out our wooden Hanukkah crafts shop to find the perfect gift for yourself or a loved one!
