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Dress the staircase with a colorful dreidel garland – a kid-friendly craft the family will enjoy making together. You’ll need scrapbooking paper, pencils, scissors, stencils and glue. String shapes on clear craft or fishing line and tie ends onto a staircase banister. The garland also adds a festive holiday touch to decorative shelves or the mantel.

Festival of Lights Invitations

Scrapbooking paper is the perfect medium to create Star of David cards or dinner invitations. Fold blue paper in half. Trim to size using scissors or a paper cutter. Cut two additional pieces of paper (dark blue and white) to layer on the front cover. Punch the corners of the dark blue paper with a decorative puncher; trim the edges of the white paper with edger scissors. Using glue stick and positioning to allow space for text, adhere a Star of David, cut from plain paper, to the dark blue paper. Glue dark blue paper to white paper; glue white paper to front cover. Add glitter, sequins or other embellishments. Add text with a glitter gel pen.

Festive Paper Menorah Tablecloth

The buffet table is elegantly topped with sheer linen and embellished with a paper menorah. To make the menorah, download this pattern and cut coordinating pieces of paper to add dimension and color. Attach the menorah to the linen fabric with scrapbook glue-dots. Winter daylight passes through the gauzy fabric, revealing a silhouette effect.

Chocolate Gelt Name Cards

Replace traditional place cards with white salt cellars. Fill each dip with gelt coins and place a name sticker on the front side to direct guests to their seats at the dinner table.

Colorful Paper Dreidel

Cream-colored dinner plates offer quiet relief for colorful paper dreidels. To make, cut and trim scrapbook paper, then decorate the design with strips of patterned paper. Number the back of each dreidel with a number that corresponds to a small token gift for the evening.

Quick and Easy Potato Latke (Makes 9 latkes)

Ingredients

• 1 (30-ounce) bag unflavored, frozen shredded potatoes
• 1 cup finely diced Vidalia or Texas sweet onions
• 2 eggs, beaten (use as much as needed, mixture may not require 2 whole eggs)
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 2 to 3 tablespoons flour or matzo meal
• vegetable oil for frying
• sour cream, for topping

Directions
Defrost grated potatoes in a medium-size bowl. Immediately add onion, eggs, salt, pepper and flour. Mixture should be thick and hold together when pressed.

Meanwhile, pour about 3/4 inch oil into a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Heat slowly until oil reaches approximately 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with multiple layers of paper towels and preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

To check the temperature of the oil, make a test pancake. Be careful not to spatter oil. Place about 2 tablespoons of potato mixture in the palm of your hand and form into a 2-1/2 – to 3-inch-wide and 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick pancake — similar to a hamburger patty — and place carefully into oil. The first side should be golden brown in about 3 minutes. Turn carefully and fry other side. If pancake browns faster than 3 minutes per side, reduce the oil’s temperature. If pancake takes more than 3 minutes per side to brown, increase oil’s temperature. Repeat with remaining potato mixture.

Place pancakes on paper towels. If not serving immediately, place pancakes on paper towel-lined pan and keep warm in a preheated oven for up to 1 hour. Serve with room temperature sour cream and applesauce.

Star of David Cupcakes

Round out your celebration with an easy, delicious dessert. Nestle cupcakes in unique serving vessels like julep cups or pewter drinking glasses. Ice each with blue frosting. To make easy edible star embellishments, melt white chocolate and spoon into a sandwich bag — with the tip of one corner cut — and pipe the star shape on top of each cupcake.

Celebrating with Jelly Donuts

Store-bought jelly donuts are easily heated in the oven and tossed in fine sugar for a final flourish. Serve immediately for instant applause.

Great food, beautiful decorations and place settings, and treasured guests add up to a special Hanukkah celebration — one that honors the significance of the holiday and helps create lasting memories for all.

Article Source

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Rabbi Rudi’s Latkes Secret

It was Hanukkah and a tiny village was frightened that they may not have any latkes (pancakes) because they had run out of flour.

Rudi, the Rabbi, was called upon to help solve the problem. He said, “Don’t worry, you can substitute matzo meal for the flour, and the latkes will be just as delicious.”

A woman looked to her husband asking, “Honey, do you think it will work?”

“Of course,” the husband replied, “Everybody knows Rudolph the Rab knows grain, dear.”

Hanukkah Stamps

A Jewish girl at the post office asked the cashier, “May I have 50 Hanukkah stamps?”

The cashier says, “What denomination?”

The exasperated girl huffed, ‘Oy vey, has it come to this? OK, give me 6 Orthodox, 12 Conservative, and 32 Reform.”

The First Hanukkah Tree

Admiring the Christmas trees displayed in his neighbor’s windows, a young Jewish boy asked his father, “Daddy, can we have a Hanukkah Tree?”

“What? No, of course not.” stated his father.

“Why not?” asked the boy again.

Bewildered, his father replies, “Well, because the last time we had dealings with a lighted bush we spent 40 years in the wilderness.”

The Eight Days of Hanukkah

On the first night of Hanukkah my true love gave to me
Lox, bagels and some cream cheese

On the second night of Hanukkah, my true love gave to me
2 Kosher pickles and Lox,
bagels and some cream cheese

On the third night of Hanukkah, my true love gave to me
3 pounds of corned beef,
2 Kosher pickles and
Lox, bagels and some cream cheese

On the fourth night of Hanukkah, my true love gave to me
4 potato latkes
3 pounds of corned beef
2 Kosher pickles and
Lox, bagels and some cream cheese

On the fifth night of Hanukkah, my true love gave to me
5 bowls of chicken soup
4 potato latkes
3 pounds of corned beef
2 Kosher pickles and
Lox, bagels and some cream cheese

On the sixth night of Hanukkah, my true love gave to me
6 pickled herrings
5 bowls of chicken soup
4 potato latkes
3 pounds of corned beef
2 Kosher pickles and
Lox, bagels and some cream cheese

On the seventh night of Hanukkah, my true love gave to me
7 noodle kugels
6 pickled herrings
5 bowls of chicken soup
4 potato latkes
3 pounds of corned beef
2 Kosher pickles and
Lox, bagels and some cream cheese

On the eighth night of Hanukkah, my true love gave to me
8 Alka- Seltzer
7 noodle kugels
6 pickled herrings
5 bowls of chicken soup
4 potato latkes
3 pounds of corned beef
2 Kosher pickles and
Lox, bagels and some cream cheese

P.S. For the Israeli version, substitute 1 Falafel ball , 2 spoons of Hummos, 3 liters of Tehina, 4 plates of salads, 5 glasses of eshkoliot (grapefruit juice), 6 bags of pita, 7 mouthfuls of ful and 8 greps

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MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM FORWARDEVERFORWARD.COM!

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Twas the night before Christmas at Rock-Away Rest,
and all of us seniors were looking our best.
Our glasses, how sparkly, our wrinkles, how merry;
Our punchbowl held prune juice plus three drops of sherry.

A bedsock was taped to each walker, in hope
That Santa would bring us soft candy and soap.
We surely were lucky to be there with friends,
Secure in this residence and in our Depends.

Our grandkids had sent us some Christmasy crafts,
Like angels in snowsuits and penguins on rafts.
The dental assistant had borrowed our teeth,
And from them she’d crafted a holiday wreath.

The bed pans, so shiny, all stood in a row,
Reflecting our candle’s magnificent glow.
Our supper so festive — the joy wouldn’t stop –
Was creamy warm oatmeal with sprinkles on top.

Our salad was Jell-O, so jiggly and great,
Then puree of fruitcake was spooned on each plate.
The social director then had us play games,
Like “Where Are You Living?” and “What Are Your Names?”

Old Grandfather Looper was feeling his oats,
Proclaiming that reindeer were nothing but goats.
Our resident wand’rer was tied to her chair,
In hopes that at bedtime she still would be there.

Security lights on the new fallen snow
Made outdoors seem noon to the old folks below.
Then out on the porch there arose quite a clatter
(But we are so deaf that it just didn’t matter).

A strange little fellow flew in through the door,
Then tripped on the sill and fell flat on the floor.
Twas just our director, all togged out in red.
He jiggled and chuckled and patted each head.

We knew from the way that he strutted and jived
Our social- security checks had arrived.
We sang — how we sang — in our monotone croak,
Till the clock tinkled out its soft eight-p.m. stroke.

And soon we were snuggling deep in our beds.
While nurses distributed nocturnal meds.
And so ends our Christmas at Rock-Away Rest.
fore long you’ll be with us, We wish you the best!

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Catching the spirit of Christmas
Is nothing like catching a cold.
It makes you feel warm
And new and transformed
And leaves your heart feeling like gold.

Catching the spirit of Christmas
Is the catchingest of all that goes ’round
During this season
When there’s no greater reason
To lift those whose heads hang down.

Catching the spirit of Christmas
Won’t leave you sick in your bed.
It’ll give you the zest
To start living your best
And love others as Jesus has said.

By Tina Dean

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The Christmas tree that greets revelers at the Puerta del Sol is dressed for a party. Madrid’s two-week celebration makes millionaires along with merrymakers. On Dec. 22, a lucky citizen will win El Gordo (the fat one), the world’s biggest lottery.

Drink a glass of gluhwein from the holiday market at the Romer, Frankfurt’s city hall since 1405 and enjoy a taste of Christmas past.

The largest Christmas tree in Europe (more than 230 feet tall) can be found in Lisbon, Portugal. Thousands of lights adorn the tree, adding to the special enchantment of the city during the holiday season.

Venice’s Murano Island renowned throughout the world for its quality glasswork is home to the tallest glass tree in the world. Sculpted by master glass blower Simone Cenedese, the artistic Christmas tree is a modern reflection of the holiday season.

A token of gratitude for Britain’s aid during World War II, the Christmas tree in London’s Trafalgar Square has been the annual gift of the people of Norway since 1947.

The world’s largest Christmas tree display rises up the slopes of Monte Ingino outside of Gubbio, in Italy’s Umbria region. Composed of about 500 lights connected by 40,000 feet of wire, the “tree” is a modern marvel for an ancient city

Moscow celebrates Christmas according to the Russian Orthodox calendar on Jan. 7. For weeks beforehand, the city is alive with festivities in anticipation of Father Frost’s arrival on his magical troika with the Snow Maiden. He and his helper deliver gifts under the New Year tree, or yolka, which is traditionally a fir.

n Paris, even the Christmas trees are chic. With its monumental, baroque dome, plus 10 stories of lights and high fashion, it’s no surprise this show-stopping department store draws more visitors than the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.

Illuminating the Gothic facades of Prague’s Old Town Square, and casting its glow over the manger display of the famous Christmas market, is a grand tree cut in the Sumava mountains in the southern Czech Republic.

A Christmas tree befitting Tokyo’s nighttime neon display is projected onto the exterior of the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka.

In addition to the Vatican’s heavenly evergreen, St. Peter’s Square in Rome hosts a larger-than-life nativity scene in front of the obelisk.

Even in its humblest attire, aglow beside a tiny chapel in Germany’s Karwendel mountains, a Christmas tree is a wondrous sight.

Against a backdrop of tall, shadowy firs, a rainbow trio of Christmas trees lights up the night (location unknown).

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