7 Ways To Make A Candle Luminary

As the temperatures rise and the days grow longer, it’s time to start thinking about ways to add a festive and inviting atmosphere to our outdoor gatherings. Whether you’re planning a backyard BBQ, a pool party, or an evening of stargazing, a handmade luminary can be a lovely and affordable way to add some ambiance and warmth to the occasion.

Luminaries are essentially vessels that hold candles or lights and diffuse their glow through decorative cutouts or translucent materials. They come in all shapes and sizes, and can be made from a variety of materials such as paper, glass, and even tin cans. Not only are they visually pleasing, but they can also be functional, helping to light up a walkway, patio, or other outdoor space.

If you’re looking to create your own luminaries, there are a multitude of options to choose from. Some popular materials for DIY luminaries include mason jars, paper bags, and even recycled materials such as wine bottles and tin cans. Each material offers its own unique texture and lighting effect, and can be customized to fit the occasion or your personal style.

Here are 7 ideas to get you started on your luminary-making journey:

1- Pineapple Candle Centerpiece from Smarty Had A Party

2- Patriotic Luminaries from Saved By Love Creations

3- Milk Jug Waterlily from Fab Art DIY

4- Easy Mason Jar Luminaries from Dream A Littler Bigger

5- Yarn Wrapped Painted Jars from The Forge

6- Starry Night Luminaries from The Shabby Creek Cottage

7- Star Fish Luminary from The Inpired Room

Read These Next

Learning about Hanukkah is important for people of all faiths as a reminder that December isn’t just about Christmas and that their are many other important holidays that happen during this time. Hanukkah unit studies can give you ideas for incorporating the holiday into your holiday studies that happen in December, or to use at home for learning about people of different faiths.

Homeschool Superfreak has a lot of basic ideas for how to build a Hanukkah unit study, as well as FAQs about what Hanukkah is and why it is celebrated. This list is a good stargint point but doesn’t include all the details you’ll need. For example it says you can play the dreidel game but doesn’t explain how to do that or why it’s important. (If you need that information, this post from Mama Smiles is a good source.)

Teachers Pay Teachers has lots of great lesson plans and activities if you’re willing to pay a little bit to get some good content. Two I really like are this Hanukkah PowerPoint presentation from Shelia Melton, which provides a good overview of traditions, food and the history of Hanukkah; and a virtual field trip to Jerusalem from MagiCore, which includes lots of videos showing the city and activities like playing dreidel, drawing a menorah and making latkes. It’s a Google Drive folder and also includes writing activities and more for kids in second to fifth grade.

Kids Activities Blog has some simple printables with facts about Hanukkah and things kids can color in like a Star of David, sufganiyots (jelly doughnuts) and a menorah. These are great for learning the basics.

Homeschool Giveaways has a printable ebook about Hanukkah complete with questions kids can answer after they read. This would be a good one for older kids with good reading comprehension.

NurtureStore’s Hanukkah unit study includes a printable mini book, tons of crafts, as well as math and writing activities. I love the dominoes game that’s part of the unit.

And check out our previous posts for more Hanukkah crafts and learning activities!

Read These Next

Have you read?