Hand-Crafted Menorah

This crafty menorah is easy to make with kids – and best of all, they can "light" the candles on their own to celebrate each night of Hanukkah.

Tools and Materials

  • A wooden box, preferably with a sliding lid
  • Paint for the box
  • Other embellishments for the box, such as letter stamps or glitter
  • Nine white or silver pipe cleaners
  • Wire cutters
  • Several handfuls of large, multicolored buttons
  • Nine ornamental buttons (with gold or otherwise glimmering sheens; these will be the "flames")
  • Hot glue gun

How to Assemble the Menorah

1. Paint the outside of the box; make sure you paint the box and lid separately so it's not painted shut. Decorate it by personalizing it with a name or other words, or any embellishments you choose.

2. Cut eight of the the pipe cleaners to a length of about 4 inches; cut the ninth one slightly longer. Choose a larger button as the base for each "candle." Push about a half-inch of each pipe cleaner through a button and bend it so the end is flush against the button. Dab hot glue over it and affix it firmly to the lid of your painted box. Repeat with the remaining eight pipe cleaners. Make sure to fix the longest pipe cleaner in the middle of the box top, as the center of your menorah.

3. Stack and thread buttons on each of your pipe cleaners to create "candles." Leave about a quarter-inch of pipe cleaner exposed at the top of each.

4. Store your nine sparkly buttons inside the box. On each night of Hanukkah, remove one and "light" one of your candles with it by inserting the exposed tip of a pipe cleaner through it.