A Hanukkah Twist

Happy Hanukkah to all of my Jewish friends and family! As you may have seen in my last post, I created a branch advent calendar for The Craft Shack's display at the Leu Garden's Holiday House. Well, since we celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah in our household, I decided to make one with a Hanukkah twist! Instead of 24 days, I crafted this branch calendar to represent the 8 nights of Hanukkah. I am so happy with the results!

Each night after lighting the candles and saying the blessing, my daughter clips one of the little packages down and opens to reveal a gift. 

 This was super simple to make. Just find a smallish branch that you like. I usually keep a little stash of branches to be used later for projects. Then gather 8 gifts...for example, I've included some candy, nail polish, lip gloss, and a gift card (for the 8th night!) Then you simply bundle wrap the items in muslin, old book pages, and brown craft paper. I used stamps to number each package and then tied them to the branch with string! 

I'd love to hear if you give this project a try, either the Christmas version or the Hanukkah version. It certainly is a lovely addition to the holiday decor. 

Until next time, Lovebeams to you!