Chanukah begins this year on December 22nd and the celebration lasts for a full eight days.  During this special week, take time to create a few easy to do decorations with your nieces and nephews for this festive season.

Check out these ideas:

A Craft Spoon Menorah

You will need:

9 Wooden craft spoons
Yellow an Orange Acrylic paint
Paint Brush
Craft knife
12 plastic cups

Paint flames on nine wooden spoons with the yellow and orange acrylic paint - both front and back of the spoons.  It will take just a few minutes of drying time before handling.

Cut a 3/4 inch slit on the bottom of nine cups.

Cut the bottoms from the remaining three cups and stack them for the center candle.

When it's time, your nieces and nephews can safely light their menorah by inserting the spoons into the cups - one for each night of Hanukkah.

Milk Box Dreidels                

You will need:

Pencils
Glue
Paint and paintbrushes
Small milk cartons

Fold tops of milk cartons down to make boxes.  Mix a little glue with paint and let your nieces and nephews paint boxes. Poke pencil through box from top downward so point is on bottom.  Play the Dreidel Game!

Chanukah Lantern Can

You will need:

Food can, any size; washed and dried
Blue and silver craft paint
Paintbrush
Hammer
Nail

1.    Using a hammer and small nail create a Chanukah symbol, e.g. a dreidel or menorah, on the tin can.

2.    Paint the can with blue and/or silver paint. Let dry.

3.    Paint another coat of paint, if needed, and let dry.

4.    Illuminate your doorway or place around the Hanukkah table with small votive candles.

The Milk Box Dreidels and Chanukah Lanterns are both eco-friendly as they use recycled products.

With a few simple crafts, your nieces and nephews will enjoy sharing time with you as they prepare for the Chanuka season.  Have fun together!