Chanukah, the festival of lights, be
gins on December 16th. This eight day festival or celebration continues until December 24th. The festivities begin at sundown on the 16th, and commemorate the triumphant victory of a small group of Jews, over the powerful and mighty Seleucid army. The Seleucids were Syrian-Greeks whose goal was to forcibly Hellenize Jews so they could take over the land we now know as The Holy Land.
After chasing the Seleucid army away, the group went to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, wanting to light the Menorah. Upon their arrival, they discovered that all the oil – except a small amount – enough to burn for one day, was contaminated by the Seleucids, who ransacked and destroyed what they could.
The group was concerned that the Menorah couldn’t stay lit with so little oil, and preparing fresh oil according to the required Jewish purity standards would take eight days. They had no choice and had to hope that things would turn out well. Miraculously, the one day supply of oil burned for eight days, and that event is the basis for Chanukah celebrations throughout the world today.
Decorating for Chanukah
The focal point of all Chanukah celebrations is the Menorah. Because of the importance of the oil, fried foods are another crucial part of this festival. Starting at sundown on the first night of Chanukah, the Menorah is lit.
The Dining Room and the Table
Since Chanukah festivities tend to revolve around the dining room, you’ll definitely want to have an attractive and inviting table. The traditional colors for Chanukah are white, blue and silver. You will want to keep that in mind when choosing dishes and table linens.
If you want a centerpiece without candles, then the Hanukkah Centerpiece is an excellent choice. This sprawling low arrangement combines beautiful white roses and lilies with blue delphinium and other accents.
If you want a centerpiece that includes candles, the Hanukkah Table Setting is ideal. It contains similar flowers to the Hanukkah Centerpiece, with added sprigs of evergreen as accents, and three tall white taper candles.
The Rest of the Hou
se
Adorn a living or family room coffee table, end table or mantel with the of Lights Arrangement. This spectacular combination of irises, lilies, larkspur, hydrangeas and delphinium in a blue square cube vase will brighten your room with the spirit of Chanukah.
Celebration of Lights is a beautiful arrangement to place on a table at the entry to your home. The cobalt blue vase is filled with delphinium, hydrangeas, irises, larkspur and lilies, with a glittery silver bow to add a bit of sparkle.
If you’re looking for pure elegance that goes with anything in your home, then the White Winter arrangement is your answer. This wintry combination of hydrangeas, lilies and white birch exudes winter in the simplest possible way.
Don’t wait to choose your Chanukah flowers. Schaaf Floral has a huge selection of special arrangements from which you can choose.
