Are you one of those really crafty people who has a little bit too much time on your hands? Or better yet, are you looking for a fun and creative (and functional) project to do with your children? Get together with your family this holiday season and help celebrate Chanukah by making your very own Chanukah menorah.

There are several different ways that you can go about making your very own menorah. The first way is to go to your local craft store and buy a piece of wood that is about 1 foot x 3-6". This piece of wood will serve as the base of your menorah. Then go through your sewing box and find spools that can be used as candle holders (preferably with no thread on them) or travel to your nearest craft store for some bare spools to use. Glue each one of the spools to the piece of wood (make sure that you have 8 across the length of the wooden base). To make the Shamos candle, (which stands alone and higher than the rest of the candles) you will need to stack and glue 2 spools on top of each other. When your glue is dry then you can decorate your menorah with glitter, stickers, markers, uncooked macaroni, etc. so that your Chanukah menorah is bright and colorful.

Another way to create a menorah is to follow the directions above, but use nuts (as in nuts and bolts, but just use the nuts) instead of spools. Glue the nuts (8) along the base of the board. Behind the row of nuts, you can either stack and glue a few small flat squares of wood on top of each other (with a nut glued on top) or stack and glue a few nuts together to give you a bit of height for your Shamos candle. As stated above, use a lot of different materials and colors to make your menorah beautiful.

The last way to make a really fun and creative menorah is to go to your local craft store and purchase Fimo polymer clay. This stuff can be molded into the coolest shapes, is easy to work with, and therefore really lends itself to the most creative of people. Make sure that the clay is shaped with holes large enough for candles to fit into, but not so large that the candle can fall over. You can use the same clay for the base of the menorah as well. Also, keep in mind that the Shamos candle will need to stand taller than the rest of the candles. Read the directions on the back of the package for specific directions on how to use and preserve your clay creations.

As always, practice fire safety and never leave a burning candle unattended by an adult. Have a wonderful holiday, and thank you for sharing and celebrating your holiday season with