Three Last-Minute DIY Menorah Ways
Hanukkah begins on Thursday evening. If you’re alone for the first time this year and don’t have a menorah yet, or if you want to show support for your Jewish friends by putting a menorah in your window, or if you just can’t find yours, here are some ways to build one last minute.
Introduction to menorahs
Before you begin, you need to know a few important things about the menorah.
Menorahs have eight main arms, each containing a candle. The ninth candle, Shamesh, stands slightly apart from the rest, usually in the middle or at the end of the rest of the candles. As the story goes, this commemorates the eight nights the oil burned, although there was only enough oil for one night. Each of the eight candles is lit with a Shamesh candle, or helper candle, but it is important not to confuse it with the other eight.
Hanukkah candles are designed to burn for at least 30 minutes, but the longer they burn, the longer it is considered a “mitzvah” or good luck. Instead of using regular candles, most people buy a set of Hanukkah candles that have just enough to last the entire year. They are thinner than most candles and look like elegant long birthday candles. You can use either wax candles or oil, but since the miracle of Hanukkah involves olive oil, oil is preferred. Menorahs are designed to be placed in a window, so they demand to be seen, and candles are traditionally lit at sunset rather than before. On the first night of Hanukkah, one candle plus Shamesh is lit; on the second night two candles plus Shamesh and so on. Candles are lit from left to right.
To make your own menorah, keep in mind that it must burn for 30 minutes and the eight candles must be spaced evenly together. Since these are the only basic considerations, you can get creative in making your own.
How to make a menorah with your own hands
Nuts and bolts
Bolts make stunning modest menorah candle holders. Chances are you have them, and if you don’t, you can buy them cheap. You’ll need nine of them lined up side by side. An old way to get a candle to stay in place is to melt the end just enough so that a little wax drips into the area where you want the candle to go, and then quickly dip the candle into the melted wax and hold it there while the wax quickly cools.
Foil
A menorah doesn’t have to look pretty, it just has to work. The tin foil will stay in place and can be easily molded into any shape. Roll a long sheet of tin foil into a coil and then move it back and forth, leaving room for the candles. Place a candle between each turn. Curl the end slightly to make room for the Shamesh. Place the foil on the table and everything should stay in place. The best part is that you barely have to clean up.
Shot glasses and mason jars
Chances are you have enough of one or the other, but if you can line up enough glasses or mason jars of the same size, you can make your own oil candles from cotton cord and oil or wax. Most craft stores have wax beads and you can simply pour them into the glasses to secure the wick. If you are using oil, secure the wick with foil or a paper clip.