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Craft Corner: Making Our Own Hanukkah Candles

🕎 A Special Family Tradition for Chanukah, Festival of Lights

By Ellen DeFrancesco, publisher of Macaroni Kid Long Beach-Oceanside-Rockville Centre, NY December 18, 2019

Hanukkah is rich in tradition and there are many traditions families celebrate. In my family, we sing songs, spin the dreidel, and eat lots of yummy fried food like donuts and latkes. And, of course, Hanukkah wouldn't be complete without presents!

Along with those traditions, we've added a new tradition in our house that I love. Instead of store-bought candles, we make our own. We buy a special candle-making kit, which means there is no muss, no fuss, and no big clean-up.

This craft is so easy and fun for all ages — and a great new tradition for our family that your family can try too!

What You Need:

Hanukkah candlemaking kit or beeswax candles with string. You'll need enough to make 44 candles as the candles are burned down each night of Hanukkah and replaced with new ones the next day. You can find kits at craft stores or online.

What You Do:

  1. Put parchment paper down on the table to keep from getting wax on the surface.
  2. Place a string (the wick) the length of the beeswax on one end of the beeswax candle. 
  3. Press the string down gently and then roll the beeswax as tight as you can. 
  4. Once rolled, place it on the table and roll it back and forth a few times to create a circular shape to fit into the menorah holes.

PRO TIP: To keep candles from tipping inside the menorah, when you light the candle burn the bottom part and let a few drops of wax fall into the hole. Then place the candle in the hole. Or you can line the menorah holes with foil, which keeps candles in place and also helps in easy cleanup.