Make your own Hannukah menorah with these 3 fun designs

Looking to put a new spin on your Hanukkah celebrations? Learn five great homemade menorah designs that you and your family can make.

The menorah, a nine-branched candelabra, is the most iconic image of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. There are many beautiful menorahs crafted out of metal, but sometimes you want something a little more personal.

This creative, rustic take on the menorah requires a sturdy tree branch, a drill and some paint. Find a branch that's roughly 40 centimetres long and thick enough to comfortably support drill holes 10-millimetres wide. Drill nine evenly spaced holes to hold candles and finish the branch with craft paint.

For a nice, fire-free option for small children, you can construct a menorah out of plastic building blocksm adding one new "flame" block each night. It's fun to watch your little builders figure out where each piece goes, so feel free to let them explore and learn.

For another no-fire craft project, start by using thick construction paper to make nine "candle" cones (make sure one cone is larger than the others for the middle shamash candle). Then, wrap your cones in felt colours of your choice. Use orange and yellow felt to shape each candle flame, and pin a new flame to a candle cone each night.

This one is great for parties. Bake a fresh batch of cupcakes and line them up on plates or trays, allowing one (again, the shamash) to stand higher than the rest. Then, plant birthday candles in the middle of each one to have a beautiful, edible menorah for your Hanukkah party.

This DIY menorah project also doubles as a recycling awareness sculpture. Select nine empty glass bottles (make sure to wash them out thoroughly first) and apply a coat of paint to each one. Next, measure and cut out a cardboard disk that will fit inside the bottleneck.

Coat the rim of each cardboard disk in glue before carefully inserting it into the bottle so it remains in place. The disk will stop candles from slipping inside the bottle. All that remains is to find candles that fit snugly in the bottles, and you'll have a thrifty, homemade menorah with a clever design. The simplicity of the menorah makes it an ideal subject for a variety of DIY projects.

Whether you opt for a hands-on craft project or a fun, fire-free version for the kids, you're sure bring some extra spirit to Hanukkah celebrations.